Engraftment Syndrome: Clinical Features and Predictive Factors in Autologous Stem Cell Transplant

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Oncology
• Transplant Medicine

Background:

• Engraftment Syndrome (ES) is a potential complication following autologous stem cell transplant (SCT).
• Accurate diagnosis and identification of risk factors are essential for managing ES.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate clinical criteria for diagnosing Engraftment Syndrome (ES).
• To analyze risk factors associated with ES development in patients undergoing autologous SCT.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 178 patients who underwent autologous SCT for lymphoma and myeloma over 9 years.
• Inclusion criteria: non-infectious fever within 7 days of engraftment (ANC ≥ 500 for 2 consecutive days).
• Evaluation of Maiolino and Spitzer criteria for ES diagnosis.

Main Results:

• 25.8% of patients developed ES.
• Maiolino criteria identified 61% of ES cases (15% incidence), while Spitzer criteria identified 26%.
• No significant difference in hospitalization or antibiotic duration between ES and non-ES groups; 17% required ICU admission due to delayed steroid initiation.

Conclusions:

• Engraftment Syndrome is a common complication in autologous SCT.
• The Maiolino criteria demonstrated higher sensitivity for ES diagnosis in this cohort.
• Early detection and treatment of ES are associated with minimal morbidity and mortality.