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Post-Transplant Events

Palifermin reduces incidence and severity of oral mucositis in allogeneic stem-cell transplant recipients

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 42, pages 275–279 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

In this multicenter study, 30 patients undergoing matched related or unrelated allogeneic stem-cell transplantation for leukemia were treated with palifermin, and retrospectively compared to a matched control group. Palifermin recipients transplanted with an unrelated donor showed a significant reduction of severity, incidence and duration of oral mucositis WHO grades 2–4. In addition, in the palifermin group the use of opioid analgesics and the duration of total parenteral nutrition decreased, whether stem cells were used from matched related or unrelated donors. No beneficial influence of palifermin on the incidence and severity of acute GVHD (aGVHD) was apparent. The incidence and duration of febrile neutropenia, documented infections, hematopoietic recovery or overall survival remained unchanged. The most common adverse effects included rash or erythema, generally mild and transient in appearance. Thus, the administration of palifermin was generally well tolerated and safe, and significantly reduced oral mucositis whereas—regardless of donor status—no effect on the incidence and severity of aGVHD was seen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria

    S Langner, P B Staber, W Linkesch & P Neumeister

  2. Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, 2nd Medical Department, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany

    N Schub & M Gramatzki

  3. Department of Internal Medicine IV—Hematology/Oncology—University Hospital of Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Bone Marrow Transplantation Section, State Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Halle, Germany

    W Grothe & G Behre

  4. Department of Internal Medicine I, Bone Marrow Transplantation, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    W Rabitsch

  5. Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria

    C Urban

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  1. S Langner
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  2. P B Staber
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Correspondence to S Langner.

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All authors declare that there was no funding or financial support by the company for this study.

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Langner, S., Staber, P., Schub, N. et al. Palifermin reduces incidence and severity of oral mucositis in allogeneic stem-cell transplant recipients. Bone Marrow Transplant 42, 275–279 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2008.157

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2008.157

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