RAPID COMMUNICATION Allogeneic Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation May Be Associated With a High Risk of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is likely caused by row recipients was 2.22 (95 % confidence interval, 1.04 to donor T lymphocytes. Because unmodified blood stem cell 4.74; P!.039). For clinical extensive chronic GVHD, the rela-grafts contain one log more T lymphocytes than unmodified tive risk was 2.37 (95 % confidence interval, 1.07 to 5.29; P marrow grafts, we evaluated the incidence of chronic GVHD!.035). In multivariable analyses, considering also the cova-in previously reported 37 blood stem cell recipients and 37 riables of patient age, patient cytomegalovirus serostatus, computer-matched historical control marrow recipients and donor cytomegalovirus serostatus, the relative risks of (Bensinger et al, Blood 88:2794, 1996). All patients have been clinical chronic GVHD and clinical extensive chronic GVHD followed until death, relapse, or occurrence of chronic GVHD were also greater than 2 (P Ú.05). We conclude that the or for a minimum of 2 years. In a univariable proportional transplantation of unmanipulated filgrastim-mobilized hazards regression model, the relative risk of developing blood stem cells may result in a relatively high incidence of clinical chronic GVHD (includes clinical limited and clinical chronic GVHD. extensive disease) by 2 years posttransplant among the pe-q 1997 by The American Society of Hematology. ripheral blood stem cell recipients compared with the mar-recipient who at 6 months posttransplant developed rash (skin biopsyE positive for GVHD) and primarily cholestatic liver test abnormalitiesNTHUSIASM FOR transplantation of allogeneic cyto-kine-mobilized peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs