Discussion
The ICU survival rate in our cohort of critically ill children with
severe SOS and MOD post HCT was 62%, despite most requiring respiratory
and vasopressor support. Our mortality rate of 38% is lower than that
reported in other recent post-HCT cohorts with severe SOS and MOD. In a
large cohort of 71 critically ill adult patients with SOS post HCT who
were treated with defibrotide, mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, and
KRT were required in 59%, 52%, and 49% of patients, respectively
(11). The overall ICU mortality rate was 54%; however, a higher
mortality rate was observed in patients receiving IMV (84%),
vasopressor support (79%), or KRT (71%), and among their 28 patients
who required mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy, the
hospital mortality rate was 93% (11). Another large cohort of 651
post-HCT patients (adults and pediatrics) pooled from 3 studies reported
an estimated D100 survival rate of 38% in patients with both
ventilator- and dialysis-dependence and 40% in patients with one
dependence (12). Our ICU survival rate approximates the recently
reported rate of 64% in a general pediatric cohort of 980 patients
treated with CKRT (13).
FO is an independent risk factor for mortality in critically ill
children and can prolong the course of IMV and AKI (14). In a
metanalysis of 44 studies (7,505 children), each 1% increase in FO
resulted in a 6% increase in odds of mortality (14). Similarly, FO
adversely impacts the outcome of children post HCT. In a multicenter
retrospective study of 68 critically ill children with cancer post HSCT
(23 patients) who were receiving CKRT, patients with FO >10%
at CKRT initiation were 6.16 times more likely to die than were those
with FO ≤10% (15). Unfortunately, FO is common in children post HCT,
especially in those in whom SOS develops. Capillary leak, portal
hypertension-like pathophysiology leading to ascites, and refractory
thrombocytopenia with subsequent need for frequent transfusions are
factors that contribute to the development of FO in these patients (7).
Initial management of FO includes fluid restriction and diuresis;
however, CKRT should be considered when FO approaches >10%.
In our cohort, FO was relatively low before starting CKRT, with FO
5% in survivors and non-survivors prior to CKRT initiation. This may
have contributed to the lower mortality rate that was observed in our
cohort. Following CKRT initiation, survivors in our cohort achieved less
cumulative FO in the first 2 days compared to non-survivors
Urine output and the degree of AKI at the time of CKRT initiation were
not associated with survival in our cohort. In fact, survivors had worse
AKI before initiation of CKRT. Based on these findings, these parameters
should not be used for prognosis and outcome prediction in these
patients.
In our cohort, urine output was significantly higher in children who
were successfully liberated from CKRT starting on the first day after
CKRT. This suggests that good urine output after CKRT can serve as
predictor of successful CKRT liberation. In a large pediatric cohort of
622 patients on CKRT, 54% were successfully liberated (16). Successful
liberation was associated with a higher urine output prior to CKRT
initiation. In our cohort, mechanical ventilation and urine output
before CKRT initiation were not associated with successful liberation.
The limitations of our study include its retrospective design, small
population, and absence of a control group. However, our study describes
the largest pediatric cohort of post-HCT patients with severe SOS who
received CKRT. This study spanned 12 years and offers valuable insight
into the clinical course and outcome of these children. Prospective
multi-institutional studies are required to further elucidate factors
that improve these patients’ rates of survival and successful liberation
from CKRT.
In summary, in this cohort of children with SOS and MOD post HCT, the
ICU survival rate was 62%. Survival was higher in children who
experienced less FO on the 2 days following CKRT initiation. Successful
liberation from CKRT was associated with higher urine output on the 2
days following the end of the course of CKRT. Our findings suggest that
CKRT has the potential to improve ICU survival for post-HCT patients
with severe SOS and MOD.
6 Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of
any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a
potential conflict of interest.
7 Author Contributions
LE contributed to planning, writing, data collection, and editing the
manuscript; MH contributed to data collection, writing, and editing the
manuscript; CC and EA contributed to data analysis and manuscript
writing; and RE contributed to planning and editing the manuscript. All
authors approved the submitted version.
8 Funding
This research was funded by the American Lebanese Syrian Associated
Charities (ALSAC). Madeleine Heyn (POE student) was supported by
R25CA23944 from the National Cancer Institute.
9 Acknowledgments
The authors thank Cherise Guess, PhD, ELS, for editing the manuscript.
Figure 1. Timeline of clinical course of children with SOS post
HCT, * denotes non-survivors
Figure 2 . Laboratory values and survival
Figure 3 . FO and survival
Figure 4. Urine output and successful liberation from CKRT. D-1
represents the day before CKRT initiation and D+1 represents the day
after CKRT discontinuation
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Table 1. Characteristics of survivors and non-survivors