Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplant for Patients With Sickle Cell Disease and Prior Stroke or Abnormal Transcranial Ultrasound

Summary

Sickle cell disease is a life-long blood condition that can cause damage to the brain and other organs of the body. Children may develop severe, debilitating clinical states, with stroke or abnormal blood flow to the brain. Treatment generally includes chronic blood transfusions which may cause iron overload, potentially leading to severe and sometimes fatal complications. Hematopoietic stem cell transplant using cells obtained from a sibling or an unrelated volunteer donor who is a perfect HLA "match" (same tissue type) for the recipient has shown to help, and possibly cure, sickle cell disease. Unfortunately, only about 10-20% of sickle cell patients have a HLA matched sibling donor, and the likelihood of locating an appropriate HLA matched unrelated donor through the various donor registries is limited. Stem cells from partially HLA matched family members (also called haploidentical transplant) is an option currently being explored for this patient population. This type of transplant has been used and found to be successful in some patients, mostly those with cancers of the blood. However, there can be significant complications with haploidentical transplant, primarily infection, failure of the graft to grow (graft failure), and a disorder called graft-versus-host disease. In addition, few patients with sickle cell disease have undergone this procedure. Therefore, the risks and benefits of haploidentical transplants for patients with sickle cell disorder are not as well established as those using an HLA identical sibling or unrelated donor. The primary objective of this study is to assess the safety of haploidentical stem cell transplantation for children and adolescents with severe sickle cell disease and stroke or abnormal transcranial Doppler ultrasound requiring chronic transfusion therapy. The treatment plan will be considered safe if there is not excessive toxicity. Toxicity for this protocol is defined as graft failure/graft rejection, severe acute GVHD, or regimen related death within 100 days after the last cellular product administered. Of note, the protocol was closed to accrual in September 2007 as we had met the stopping rules related to graft integrity (graft failure and graft rejection). Participants currently enrolled continue to be followed per protocol.

Timeline

Start

2005-04

Primary completion

2008-12

Completion

2009-01

Publications

• Dallas MH, Triplett B, Shook DR, Hartford C, Srinivasan A, Laver J, Ware R, Leung W. Long-term outcome and evaluation of organ function in pediatric patients undergoing haploidentical and matched related hematopoietic cell transplantation for sickle cell disease. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2013 May;19(5):820-30. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2013.02.010. Epub 2013 Feb 14.

Drugs

Indications