Neurologic complications in children after hemaopoietic stem cell transplantation: a single-center experience

Neurologic complications may occur in patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency and type of neurologic complications in children after HSCT. We performed a retrospective analysis of the incidence and outcome of neurologic complications among 171 consecutive children transplanted in one center.

Among 84 autologous and 87 allogeneic (47 matched sibling donors, 31 matched unrelated donors, 8 mismatched family donors, and 1 cord blood) transplants, 7 patients (4%) developed neurologic complications, all of whom had undergone allogeneic transplantation (7/87 = 8%). These patients had relapses of acute leukemia (n = 3; acute myeloblastic in two and acute lymphoblastic in one), chronic leukemia, (n = 1), myelodysplastic syndrome (n = 2), and adrenoleudystrophy X (n = 1). Neurologic complications occurred after a median follow-up of 1 month (range, 14 days to 19 months). Of seven patients, four died. Neurologic complications were the cause in two patients.

Among the analyzed material the risk of neurologic complications was lower than in other studies and these events were observed only in children undergoing allogeneic transplantation.