The clinical characteristics of patients with seizures after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(allo-HSCT) were analyzed. A total of 8 cases of seizures after allo-HSCT were investigated. Clinical data of these cases were studied retrospectively. Of 159 cases subjected to allo-HSCT,seizure occurred in 8 cases during 29–760 days after transplantation, median survival time was 46 days,and there were 6 cases of tonic-clonic seizure. The incidence of seizure after matched unrelated HSCT was higher than that after related HSCT(P=0.017). Of 7 cases treated with cyclosporine A(CsA), 4cases obtained high blood levels of CsA. In addition, hyponatremia was diagnosed in 5 cases. Abnormal electroencephalogram and brain MRI findings were found in some cases. During 20 days after seizure, 2cases died due to infection and graft-versus-host disease(GVHD), respectively. It was suggested that multiple factors are associated with seizures after allo-HSCT. Rapid identification and correction of the causative factors are very important to prevent permanent central nervous system damage and reduce the mortality.
The efficiency of dendritic cell-activated and cytokine-induced killer cell(DC-CIK) therapy on children with acute myeloid leukemia(AML) after chemotherapy was investigated. Mononuclear cells were collected from children achieving complete remission after chemotherapy,cultured in vitro and transfused back into the same patient. Interleukin-2(IL-2) was injected subcutaneously every other day 10 times at the dose of 1×106 units. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and minimal residual disease(MRD) were detected by flow cytometry. Function of bone marrow was monitored by methods of morphology,immunology,cytogenetics and molecular biology. The side effects were also observed during the treatment. The average follow-up period for all the 22 patients was 71 months and relapse occurred in two AML patients(9.1%). The percentage of CD3+/CD8+ cells in peripheral blood of 15 patients at the 3rd month after DC-CIK treatment(36.73%±12.51%) was dramatically higher than that before treatment(29.20%±8.34%,P<0.05). The MRD rate was >0.1% in 5 patients before the treatment,and became lower than 0.1% 3 months after the treatment. During the transfusion of DC-CIK,side effects including fever,chills and hives appeared in 7 out of 22(31.82%) cases but disappeared quickly after symptomatic treatments. There were no changes in electrocardiography and liver-renal functions after the treatment. MRD in children with AML can be eliminated by DC-CIK therapy which is safe and has fewer side effects.
