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Efficacy of Low-Dose Rituximab as Preemptive Treatment of EBV DNA-emia After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell
Yi Wang1, Yaoyao Shen1, Jiaqian Qi1
1National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Hematologic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China; Institute of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation is a common complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), particularly in patients receiving high-dose anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG)-containing conditioning regimens. If left untreated, EBV reactivation may progress to post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), a life-threatening condition. While preemptive therapy with the standard dose of rituximab (RTX), 375 mg/m², is recommended for EBV-related complications, such a high dose may be unnecessary in post-transplant settings where the total lymphocyte mass is significantly reduced compared to lymphoma conditions. This retrospective study assessed the efficacy and safety of fixed low-dose RTX (100-200 mg per dose) as an exploratory dose de-escalation preemptive therapy for low-load EBV DNA-emia (<10,000 copies/mL) occurring within four months post-transplantation. Among 83 high-risk patients, RTX achieved a high EBV clearance rate of 93.9% (95% CI: 88.6%-99.2%), with comparable effectiveness observed between the 100 mg and 200 mg dosage groups. Viral clearance was rapid, with most patients becoming EBV-DNA negative after 1 to 2 doses. RTX was well tolerated, with no treatment discontinuations due to adverse events. Despite preemptive RTX, four patients (5%) developed PTLD, which aligns with previously reported rates in similar populations. At a median follow-up of 41.6 months, the 3-year overall survival (OS) rate was 67.7%, with no significant differences in OS, relapse, or nonrelapse mortality between the two dosage cohorts. These findings suggest that a fixed low-dose RTX regimen, as an exploratory dose de-escalation strategy, is safe, effective, and well-tolerated for the preemptive management of low-load EBV DNA-emia in allo-HSCT recipients. While these results are hypothesis-generating, they indicate rapid viral clearance and favorable long-term outcomes, warranting further validation in comparative studies.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation is a common complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), particularly in patients receiving high-dose anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG)-containing conditioning regimens. If left untreated, EBV reactivation may progress to post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), a life-threatening condition. While preemptive therapy with the standard dose of rituximab (RTX), 375 mg/m², is recommended for EBV-related complications, such a high dose may be unnecessary in post-transplant settings where the total lymphocyte mass is significantly reduced compared to lymphoma conditions. This retrospective study assessed the efficacy and safety of fixed low-dose RTX (100-200 mg per dose) as an exploratory dose de-escalation preemptive therapy for low-load EBV DNA-emia (<10,000 copies/mL) occurring within four months post-transplantation. Among 83 high-risk patients, RTX achieved a high EBV clearance rate of 93.9% (95% CI: 88.6%-99.2%), with comparable effectiveness observed between the 100 mg and 200 mg dosage groups. Viral clearance was rapid, with most patients becoming EBV-DNA negative after 1 to 2 doses. RTX was well tolerated, with no treatment discontinuations due to adverse events. Despite preemptive RTX, four patients (5%) developed PTLD, which aligns with previously reported rates in similar populations. At a median follow-up of 41.6 months, the 3-year overall survival (OS) rate was 67.7%, with no significant differences in OS, relapse, or nonrelapse mortality between the two dosage cohorts. These findings suggest that a fixed low-dose RTX regimen, as an exploratory dose de-escalation strategy, is safe, effective, and well-tolerated for the preemptive management of low-load EBV DNA-emia in allo-HSCT recipients. While these results are hypothesis-generating, they indicate rapid viral clearance and favorable long-term outcomes, warranting further validation in comparative studies.
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