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Recent data link the incidence of intestinal GvHD (iGvHD) after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aSCT) to exposure with piperacillin–tazobactam or imipenem–cilastatin. To assess relevance of timing, duration, sequence and combination of antibiotic treatment in this setting, we applied a time-dependent model to our aSCT cohort. Patients from the prospective Cologne Cohort of Neutropenic Patients (CoCoNut) undergoing aSCT from January 2007 to April 2013 were included into a time-dependent multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model with backward-stepwise selection. In 399 eligible patients, cumulative antibiotic exposure (hazard ratio (HR) 2.46; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.59–3.81; P<0.001) and exposure to sequential treatment with penicillin derivatives and carbapenems (HR 6.22, 95% CI 1.27–30.31), but not to the individual classes, were associated with iGvHD at day 100. Glycopeptides were assessed as a risk factor (HR 3.73, 95% CI 1.51–9.19), but not considered independent, since their use was dependent on previous exposure to penicillin derivatives and carbapenems. Patients with iGvHD presented with increased non-relapse mortality at day 365 (HR 3.51; 95% CI 2.10–5.89; P<0.001). We identified sequential exposure to penicillin derivatives and carbapenems as well as overall exposure to antibiotics as independent risk factors for iGVHD. Confirmation of these findings in larger, prospective cohorts is necessary.

ABSTRACTOur objective was to evaluate the maximum tolerated dose of caspofungin for invasive aspergillosis (IA). The safety and pharmacokinetics of escalating dosages of caspofungin were investigated in IA. Eight patients each received caspofungin 70, 100, 150, or 200 mg once a day (QD). Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was defined as the same non-hematological treatment-related adverse event of grade ≥4 in 2 of 8 patients or ≥3 in 4 of 8 patients in a cohort. A total of 46 patients (median age, 61 years; 21 female; 89% with hematological malignancies) received caspofungin (9, 8, 9, and 20 patients in the 70-, 100-, 150-, and 200-mg cohorts) for a median of 24.5 days. Plasma pharmacokinetics were linear across the investigated dosages and followed a two-compartment model, with weight as the covariate on clearance and sex as the covariate on central volume of distribution. Simulated peak plasma concentrations at steady state ranged from 14.2 to 40.6 mg/liter (28%), trough concentrations from 4.1 to 11.8 mg/liter (58%), and area under the concentration-time curve from 175 to 500 mg/liter/h (32%) (geometric mean, geometric coefficient of variation). Treatment was well tolerated without dose-limiting toxicity. The rate of complete or partial responses was 54.3%, and the overall mortality at 12-week follow-up was 28.3%. In first-line treatment of invasive aspergillosis, daily doses of up to 200 mg caspofungin were well tolerated and the maximum tolerated dose was not reached. Pharmacokinetics was linear. Response rates were similar to those previously reported for voriconazole and liposomal amphotericin.

Treatment of invasive aspergillosis (IA) fails in up to 50% of all cases and the mortality rate is at least 30%. Antifungal combination treatment has not been proven to be beneficial and dose escalation with liposomal amphotericin B did not improve outcome. New approaches are needed for patients with severe immunosuppression.Escalating high dosages of caspofungin were investigated in IA defined according to modified EORTC/MSG criteria. The tested cohort of patients received 70mg, 100mg, 150mg or 200mg QD, 8 patients each were to receive caspofungin first-line treatment for proven/probable IA for up to 28 days. Dose limiting toxicity was defined as 2 of 8 patients in the same cohort with the same grade ≥4 non-hematological treatment-related adverse event (TRAE), or 4 of 8 patients with a grade ≥3 non-hematological TRAE. If no dose-limiting toxicity was reached, 12 additional patients were to be enrolled in the 200mg cohort. Patients unevaluable for toxicity or pharmacokinetic analysis were replaced.A total of 46 patients were treated in the 4 cohorts (9, 8, 9, 20 pts). IA was proven in 2.2% and probable in 97.8%. Patient characteristics were as follows: Median age 61 years (min 18.3, max 73.7); 21/46 (45.7%) female. Underlying disease distribution was: AML 50%, ALL 8.7%, lymphoma 19.6%, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia 10.9%, other 10.9%. Median duration of treatment was 24.5 days. Two (4.3%) patients with treatment durations ≤5 days were replaced for pharmacokinetic analysis, but evaluated for safety and efficacy. No dose-limiting toxicity was found by investigator or DSMB assessment. At end of treatment (EOT) complete plus partial response was achieved in the 4 cohorts in 4/9, 3/8, 6/9, 12/20 patients, i.e. 25/46 (54.3%) of the total population. Stable disease was achieved in 4 patients (8.7%), 17 (37%) patients failed treatment. Overall survival at 12 weeks was 76.1%. After a 12 week follow-up attributable mortality was 8.7%. Death due to malignancy occurred in 10.9%, to sepsis in 8.7%.In the first-line treatment of proven or probable invasive aspergillosis no dose-limiting toxicity of caspofungin at doses up to 200 mg QD was found. Complete plus partial response rates at EOT were 54.3% after dose-escalated caspofungin treatment, and thus in the range of the success rates previously reported with voriconazole and liposomal amphotericin B. Twelve weeks after start of treatment the 23.9% overall mortality rate was lower than that found in the literature.Cornely: MSD: Consultancy, Honoraria. Vehreschild: MSD: Honoraria. Rüping: MSD: Honoraria. Silling: MSD: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Lehrnbecher: MSD: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Ullmann: MSD: Honoraria. Groll: MSD: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Karthaus: MSD: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

Abstract 2309