Fludarabine based reduced intensity conditioning regimens in children undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation for severe aplastic anemia

Fourteen children with a median age of 9.8 yr with SAA (10 males, four females) underwent related HLA identical allogeneic stem cell transplantation using Flu, Cy +/- ATG between 2004 and 2006. GVHD prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporine +/- mini methotrexate. Graft source included PBSCs (seven) or BM (seven). One patient expired < 7 days post-transplant, while 12 (85.7%) patients engrafted with median neutrophil and platelet engraftment times of 13.8 and 14.5 days each. One patient had primary graft failure and expired on Day +27. Acute GVHD was seen in 25% of evaluable patients while limited chronic GVHD was seen in 33%. At a mean follow-up of 18 months, 12 patients (85.7%) are alive and well. Compared with a historical cohort of 12 children transplanted using Cy/ATG, there was faster engraftment (13.8 vs. 16.4 days; p = 0.002) with lower rejection rates (7.1 vs. 36.3%; p = 0.133) and improved event free (85.7 vs. 54.5%; p = 0.177) and overall survival (85.7 vs. 63.6%; p = 0.350). Flu with Cy +/- ATG reduces rejection and improves overall and event free survival in children with aplastic anemia.