Objective: To investigate the effects of different doses of antithymocyte globubin-fresenius (ATG-F) for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in patients with beta-thalassemia Major.
Methods: Sixty-four children with beta-thalassemia major undergoing allo-HSCT were divided into two equal groups to receive ATG-F pretreatments at high (30 mg/kg) or low (15 mg/kg) doses as part of the conditioning regimen including mainly cyclophosphamide, busulfan, fludarabine, and thiotepa. The outcomes of the patients were compared between the two groups.
Results: No obvious difference were noted in the time to leukocyte and platelet engraftment between the two groups. The incidence of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) appeared to be higher in the low-dose group than in the high-dose group (12.5% vs 9.4%). The incidence of grade III-IV aGVHD was also higher in the low dose group (12.5% vs 6.3%), but the difference was not statistically significant. Application of high-dose ATG-F was associated with a higher rate of probable and possible fungal infection (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The two doses of ATG-F is feasible as a part of the conditioning regimen for allo-HSCT in children with beta-thalassemia major.