Journal of Clinical Pediatrics ›› 2025, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (1): 21-28.doi: 10.12372/jcp.2025.24e0023

• Original Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Clinical analysis of invasive fungal disease secondary to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in 424 children with thalassemia

LUO Mingjing1, YU Jiaming1, WANG Xiaodong2, ZHANG Xiaoling1, YU Yue1, ZHANG Yu1, WEN Feiqiu1, LIU Sixi1()   

  1. 1. Department of Hematology and Oncology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen 518038, Guangdong, China
    2. Department of Hematology, Shanghai Children’s Medical Center Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
  • Received:2024-01-09 Accepted:2024-08-28 Published:2025-01-15 Online:2025-01-03

Abstract:

Objective This study aims to investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of invasive fungal disease (IFD) following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT). Methods The clinical data of 424 children with TDT who received allo-HSCT from January 2021 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, and the influencing factors of IFD after allo-HSCT were analyzed. Results A total of 424 TDT children undergoing allo-HSCT were included, 261 (61.6%) boys and 163(38.4%) girls, with a median age of 8.0 (5.0-11.0) years. Among them, there were 278 cases of haploidentical transplantation, 116 cases of matched or well matched related transplantation, and 30 cases of matched or well matched unrelated transplantation. All transplant patients received primary antifungal prophylaxis. A total of 30 patients (7.1%, 20 boys and 10 girls) had IFD, 25 patients (83.3%) were probable IFD and 5 (16.7%) were proven IFD. The median occurrence time of IFD was 39.0 (23.5-85.8) days after transplantation. The lung was the most common site of infection (24 cases, 80.0%). Cough (15 cases, 50.0%) and fever (10 cases, 33.3%) were the main symptoms. The pulmonary imaging findings were atypical (14 cases, 46.7%). The main fungal pathogen was Aspergillus (19 cases, 63.3%). Co-infection was detected in 17 cases (56.7%), and co-virus infection was most common. The median follow-up time was 16.0 (9.0-21.8) months, and the overall survival (OS) rate was (99.3±0.01) %. The OS rates of non-IFD group and IFD group were (99.7±0.003) % and (93.3±0.06)%, respectively, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.001). The results of binary logistic regression analysis indicated that poor graft function or graft failure, acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and antifungal prophylaxis of non-posaconazole were independent risk factors for development of IFD after allo-HSCT (P<0.05). Conclusions TDT children undergoing allo-HSCT and receiving primary fungal prophylaxis exhibited a low incidence of IFD, and IFD was associated with higher risk of death. Patients with a history of poor graft function/ graft failure, aGVHD or those receiving non-posaconazole prophylaxis faced a greater risk of developing IFD.

Key words: invasive fungal disease, thalassemia, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, child