Risk factors for oral mucositis in children receiving hematopoietic cell transplantation for primary...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
• Immunology
• Transplantation Medicine

Background:

• Oral mucositis (OM) is a common and debilitating complication following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
• Identifying risk factors for OM in children with primary immunodeficiency (PI) undergoing HSCT is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
• Understanding these factors can guide preventative strategies and supportive care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the risk factors associated with the development of oral mucositis (OM) in pediatric patients with primary immunodeficiency (PI) undergoing HSCT.
• To identify specific clinical and immunological parameters that predict OM incidence in this vulnerable population.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study analyzed 55 medical records of pediatric patients with PI who underwent HSCT.
• Data collected included age at HSCT, diagnosis, donor type, conditioning regimen, engraftment, graft-versus-host disease, and OM severity (WHO scale).
• Statistical analysis was performed to identify significant risk factors for OM development.

Main Results:

• Patients older than nine months at HSCT had a significantly higher incidence of OM (87.8%) compared to those younger than nine months (59.2%) (p=0.01).
• T-cell positive PI and more intensive conditioning regimens were associated with a statistically significant higher risk of developing OM (p=0.04 and p<0.01, respectively).

Conclusions:

• Pediatric patients with PI undergoing HSCT are at increased risk of OM.
• Key risk factors include being older than nine months at the time of HSCT and having a T-lymphocyte-positive PI diagnosis.
• These findings highlight the need for targeted monitoring and management strategies for OM in high-risk pediatric HSCT recipients.