Risk factors for hepatic veno-occlusive disease: a retrospective unicentric study in 116 children autografted after a high-dose BU-thiotepa regimen

At our Institute, during the last decade, the incidence of hepatic veno-occlusive disease (HVOD) appears to be on the increase among pediatric patients treated with BU-thiotepa (BU-TTP)-conditioning regimen. We thus performed a retrospective analysis to identify the risk factors for HVOD, which could explain such a change. In total, 116 patients treated at Institut Gustave Roussy, between May 1998 and December 2005 were eligible for this study having received BU-TTP as their first high-dose chemotherapy regimen, followed by autologous hematopoietic SCT (AHSCT). According to McDonald's clinical criteria, HVOD was diagnosed in 31% of these children. Demographic, clinical, biological and therapeutic parameters were evaluated in uni- and multivariate analyses that showed a significant correlation between previous carboplatin therapy and risk of developing post transplant HVOD (P = 0.028). Comparable results were found for etoposide (P = 0.048). In addition, a correlation between HVOD and risk of post transplant death was linked to its association with other types of organ failure (P = 0.029). This study demonstrates that previous VPCARBO administration in conventional chemotherapy significantly increases the risk of HVOD among brain tumor patients later consolidated with BU-TTP followed by AHSCT.