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Hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) is an increasingly common and curative treatment strategy to improve survival among individuals with malignant and nonmalignant diseases, with over one million HCTs having been performed worldwide. Neurocognitive dysfunction is a common and untoward consequence of HCT for many recipients, although few studies have examined the profile of neurocognitive impairments in HCT or their association with clinical features, such as frailty, or the incidence of pre-HCT neurocognitive impairments across all ages, which may influence post-HCT neurocognitive impairments. We examined the pattern and correlates of pre-transplant neurocognitive dysfunction in a prospective sample of adults undergoing HCT. Neurocognition was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Battery. Frailty was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the associations between neurocognitive performance and frailty. Neurocognitive screening profiles were also examined by partitioning MoCA into domain scores, including Executive Function and Memory. We also examined the associations between neurocognition, frailty, and clinical outcomes, including length of transplant hospitalization and survival. One hundred and ten adults were evaluated across a wide age range (range: 19-75; mean age = 54.7 [SD = 14.1]). Neurocognitive performance tended to fall below published normative levels (mean MoCA = 25.5 [SD = 4.1]), with 17% of participants demonstrating impaired performance compared with medical normative data (MoCA ≤ 22) and 34% exhibiting impaired performance relative to healthy samples (MoCA ≤ 25). Mild impairments (MoCA ≤ 25) were common across age ranges, including middle-aged patients (23% for age < 50; 35% for age 50-60, 41% for age ≥ 60), particularly for items assessing Executive Function. Greater levels of frailty associated with lower neurocognitive screening scores (r = -0.29, P < 0.01) and Executive Functioning (r = -0.24, P < 0.01), whereas greater age was associated with poorer Memory performance only (r = -0.33, P < 0.01). Greater levels of frailty prior to transplant associated with longer length of stay (β = 0.10, P = 0.046), but were not associated with survival. Neurocognitive impairments are common among adults undergoing HCT and the pattern of performance varies by age. Pre-transplant frailty is associated with neurocognitive functioning and may portend worse post-transplant early clinical outcomes.

PURPOSE: Insured patients with cancer face high treatment-related, out-of-pocket (OOP) costs and often cannot access financial assistance. We conducted a randomized, controlled trial of Bridge, a patient-facing app designed to identify eligible financial resources for patients. We hypothesized that patients using Bridge would experience greater OOP cost reduction than controls. METHODS: We enrolled patients with cancer who had OOP expenses from January 2018 to March 2019. We randomly assigned patients 1:1 to intervention (Bridge) versus control (financial assistance educational websites). Primary and secondary outcomes were self-reported OOP costs and subjective financial distress 3 months postenrollment. In post hoc analyses, we analyzed application for and receipt of financial assistance at 3 months postenrollment. We used chi-square, Mann-Whitney tests, and logistic regression to compare study arms. RESULTS: We enrolled 200 patients. The median age was 57 years (IQR, 47.0-63.0). Most patients had private insurance (71%), and the median household income was $62,000 in US dollars (USD) (IQR, $36,000-$100,000 [USD]). Substantial missing data precluded assessment of primary and secondary outcomes. In post hoc analyses, patients in the Bridge arm were more likely than controls to both apply for and receive financial assistance. CONCLUSION: We were unable to test our primary outcome because of excessive missing follow-up survey data. In exploratory post hoc analyses, patients who received a financial assistance app were more likely to apply for and receive financial assistance. Ultimately, our study highlights challenges faced in identifying measurable outcomes and retaining participants in a randomized, controlled trial of a mobile app to alleviate financial toxicity.

Certain anaerobic bacteria are important for maintenance of gut barrier integrity and immune tolerance and may influence the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of allogeneic HSCT recipients to evaluate associations between receipt of antibiotics with an anaerobic spectrum of activity and GVHD outcomes. We identified 1214 children and adults who developed febrile neutropenia between 7 days before and 28 days after HSCT and compared GVHD risk and mortality among patients who received anaerobic antibiotics (piperacillin-tazobactam or carbapenems; n=491) to patients who received only antibiotics with minimal activity against anaerobes (aztreonam, cefepime, or ceftazidime; n=723). We performed metagenomic sequencing of serial fecal samples from 36 pediatric patients to compare the effects of specific antibiotics on the gut metagenome. Receipt of anaerobic antibiotics was associated with higher hazards of acute gut/liver GVHD (hazard ratio: 1.26; 95% confidence interval: 1.03–1.54) and acute GVHD mortality (hazard ratio: 1.63; 95% confidence interval: 1.08–2.46), but not chronic GVHD diagnosis (hazard ratio: 1.04; 95% confidence interval: 0.84–1.28) or chronic GVHD mortality (hazard ratio: 0.88; 95% confidence interval: 0.53–1.45). Anaerobic antibiotics resulted in decreased gut bacterial diversity, reduced abundances of Bifidobacteriales and Clostridiales, and loss of bacterial genes encoding butyrate biosynthesis enzymes from the gut metagenome. Acute gut/liver GVHD was preceded by a sharp decline in bacterial butyrate biosynthesis genes with antibiotic treatment. Our findings demonstrate that exposure to anaerobic antibiotics is associated with increased risks of acute gut/liver GVHD and acute GVHD mortality after allogeneic HSCT. Use of piperacillin-tazobactam or carbapenems should be reserved for febrile neutropenia cases in which anaerobic or multidrug-resistant infections are suspected.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is a potentially curative treatment for both malignant and nonmalignant hematologic diseases; however, reported rates of treatment-related mortality approach 30%. Outcomes are worse in patients who begin HCT with functional impairments. To detect such impairments, a geriatric assessment (GA) is recommended in adults age ≥65 years. Younger HCT candidates also may be impaired because of chemotherapy regimens pre-HCT. Therefore, we hypothesized that GA can be beneficial for adult patients of all ages and subsequently created a clinical pretransplantation optimization program to assess all HCT candidates using a modified GA. One-hundred fifty-seven patients were evaluated in 4 functional domains- physical, cognitive, nutritional, and psychological-at 2 time points prior to HCT-new patient evaluation (NPE) and sign-off (SO)-between October 2017 and January 2020. At NPE, 80.9% of the patients had at least 1 domain with a functional impairment, and physical (P = .006), cognitive (P = .04), and psychological (P = .04) impairments were associated with an increased likelihood of not proceeding to HCT. In addition, patients age 18 to 39 years were more likely than older patients to have a physical function impairment (P = .001). Between NPE and SO, 51.9% of the patients had resolution of 1 or more impairments, and nutritional impairment at SO was predictive of worse overall survival (P = .01). Our study shows that GA can identify functional impairments in patients of all ages. Early identification of impairments could facilitate referrals to supportive care and resolution of impairments prior to HCT, suggesting that GA could be recommended for HCT candidates of all ages.

Introduction In order to study the role of the microbiome in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT), researchers collect stool samples from patients at various time points throughout HCT. However, stool collection requires active subject participation and may be limited by patient reluctance to handling stool. Methods We performed a prospective study on the impact of financial incentives on stool collection rates. The intervention group consisted of allogeneic HCT patients from 05/2017-05/2018 who were compensated with a $10 gas gift card for each stool sample. The intervention group was compared to a historical control group of allogeneic HCT patients from 11/2016-05/2017 who provided stool samples before the incentive was implemented. To control for possible changes in collections over time, we also compared a contemporaneous control group of autologous HCT patients from 05/2017-05/2018 with a historical control group of autologous HCT patients from 11/2016-05/2017; neither autologous HCT group was compensated. The collection rate was defined as the number of samples provided divided by the number of time points we attempted to obtain stool. Results There were 35 allogeneic HCT patients in the intervention group, 19 allogeneic HCT patients in the historical control group, 142 autologous HCT patients in the contemporaneous control group (that did not receive a financial incentive), and 75 autologous HCT patients in the historical control group. Allogeneic HCT patients in the intervention group had significantly higher average overall collection rates when compared to the historical control group allogeneic HCT patients (80% vs 37%, p Conclusion Our results demonstrate that a modest incentive can significantly increase collection rates. These results may help to inform the design of future studies involving stool collection.

264 Background: Postoperative symptom burden is high in surgical oncology patients. Electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) remote monitoring systems are rapidly proliferating and have the promise of improving care. However, implementation in diverse practice settings is understudied. More information on ePRO participation may determine addressable barriers. Methods: Patients presenting to the Multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Program for surgery were prospectively enrolled. ePROs assessing common postop symptoms and functional impairments were administered via a web-based platform daily for 14 days and then weekly until 3 months post-discharge. Automated reminders were provided by email. Phone calls were made for 2 consecutive missed ePROs. ePRO participation levels were categorized as high (> 80%), medium (50-80%), low (1-49%), and none. Patient characteristics were examined by participation level via Fisher’s exact and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: From 2020-2022, 202 patients were recruited to participate, and 113 (56%) agreed. There were no differences in demographics of agreed vs. declined. 99 patients initiated ePROs after discharge. Mean age was 60.5 years (sd 13.4), 37.8% were male, 72.5% were White, and the majority (64%) had lung resection. Patients participated in ePROs for an average of 82 days (sd 24) before discontinuing. Overall, 57.7% (1383/2397) of delivered surveys were completed; response rates were lowest in week 1 (48%) and highest in week 7 (71%). Participation levels are described in Table. Married/partnered patients were significantly more likely to have high levels of participation (p = 0.003), and those who regularly used a computing device almost reached significance (p = 0.057). Age, gender, race, employment, email/internet use, financial status, and quality of life did not vary across ePRO participation levels. Conclusions: Monitoring symptoms with ePROs after discharge from thoracic surgery is feasible in a large academic public hospital. Participation levels in ePROs are lower immediately after discharge, when symptomatic complications drive the highest rates of readmissions. This suggests an opportunity to improve ePRO implementation during the post-acute period when intensive monitoring is desired and in patients who are not partnered or are less frequent device users. As length of stay and readmissions are increasingly targeted for expenditure reduction in academic inpatient settings, it is paramount to design and implement systems to effectively monitor at-risk patients. Clinical trial information: NCT04342260. [Table: see text]

Hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) is an increasingly common and curative treatment strategy to improve survival among individuals with malignant and nonmalignant diseases, with over one million HCTs having been performed worldwide. Neurocognitive dysfunction is a common and untoward consequence of HCT for many recipients, although few studies have examined the profile of neurocognitive impairments in HCT or their association with clinical features, such as frailty, or the incidence of pre-HCT neurocognitive impairments across all ages, which may influence post-HCT neurocognitive impairments. We examined the pattern and correlates of pre-transplant neurocognitive dysfunction in a prospective sample of adults undergoing HCT. Neurocognition was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Battery. Frailty was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the associations between neurocognitive performance and frailty. Neurocognitive screening profiles were also examined by partitioning MoCA into domain scores, including Executive Function and Memory. We also examined the associations between neurocognition, frailty, and clinical outcomes, including length of transplant hospitalization and survival. One hundred and ten adults were evaluated across a wide age range (range: 19-75; mean age = 54.7 [SD = 14.1]). Neurocognitive performance tended to fall below published normative levels (mean MoCA = 25.5 [SD = 4.1]), with 17% of participants demonstrating impaired performance compared with medical normative data (MoCA ≤ 22) and 34% exhibiting impaired performance relative to healthy samples (MoCA ≤ 25). Mild impairments (MoCA ≤ 25) were common across age ranges, including middle-aged patients (23% for age50; 35% for age 50-60, 41% for age ≥ 60), particularly for items assessing Executive Function. Greater levels of frailty associated with lower neurocognitive screening scores (r = -0.29, P 0.01) and Executive Functioning (r = -0.24, P 0.01), whereas greater age was associated with poorer Memory performance only (r = -0.33, P 0.01). Greater levels of frailty prior to transplant associated with longer length of stay (β = 0.10, P = 0.046), but were not associated with survival. Neurocognitive impairments are common among adults undergoing HCT and the pattern of performance varies by age. Pre-transplant frailty is associated with neurocognitive functioning and may portend worse post-transplant early clinical outcomes.

Delirium is common among adults undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT), although the clinical and neuroimaging correlates of post-HCT delirium have not been adequately delineated. We therefore examined the frequency of delirium and neuroimaging correlates of post-transplant delirium in a retrospective cohort of 115 adults undergoing neuroimaging after allogeneic HCT. Delirium was established using previously validated methods for retrospective identification of chart-assessed postprocedural delirium. Chart reviews were independently conducted by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in HCT, psychiatry, and psychology on consecutive allogeneic HCT patients who underwent neuroimaging assessments and transplantation at a single center between January 2009 and December 2016. Neuroimaging markers of white matter damage and brain volume loss were also recorded. In total, 115 patients were included, ranging in age from 20 to 74 years (mean [SD] age, 49 [13]). Fifty-three patients (46%) developed post-HCT delirium. In an adjusted model, delirium incidence was associated with older age (odds ratio [OR], 1.92 [1.28, 2.87] per decade, P = .002), greater severity of white matter hyperintensities (OR, 1.95 [1.06, 3.57], P = .031), and conditioning intensity (OR, 6.37 [2.20, 18.45], P < .001) but was unrelated to cortical atrophy (P = .777). Delirium was associated with fewer hospital-free days (P = .023) but was not associated with overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.95 [0.56, 1.61], P = .844). Greater incidence of delirium following HCT was associated with greater age, microvascular burden, and conditioning intensity. Pre-HCT consideration of microvascular burden and other neuroimaging biomarkers of risk may be warranted.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) results in significant morbidity and mortality following hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Establishing the cost and clinical impact is imperative to the selection of appropriate CMV preventative strategies. This is a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients undergoing their first allogeneic HCT between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2013. Detailed clinical and institutional cost data were obtained from the start of conditioning through 1-year post-transplantation. Baseline characteristics, resource utilization, costs, and outcomes were compared between patients with and without clinically significant CMV infection (csCMVi). One hundred seventy out of 388 patients (44%) developed csCMVi within 1 year after HCT. Within the first year post-HCT, patients with csCMVi had a significantly longer transplantation-related length of stay (mean, 91.7 days versus 78.3 days; P.0001) and more frequent and prolonged hospitalizations (mean, 2.4 versus 1.7 admissions [P.0001]; mean, 39.1 versus 31.5 inpatient days [P = .001]) without significantly more admissions to the intensive care unit (28.2% versus 21.6%; P = .408). The use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was greater in patients with csCMVi (73.5% versus 54.1%; P = .0001), although no significant differences were demonstrated in mean platelet or red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. Total costs were also higher in patients with csCMVi (mean cost difference, $45,811; 95% CI, $26,385 to $67,544). However, the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and selected infectious complications was not significantly different between the 2 groups. There were no significant differences in 1-year and 5-year post-transplantation overall survival (OS) or nonrelapse mortality (NRM) between those with and those without csCMVi, although relapse of underlying disease was significantly lower in the csCMVi group. Overall, our data show that allogeneic HCT recipients with csCMVi had significantly greater medical resource utilization and costs than those without csCMVi. However, clinical outcomes, including GVHD, infections, and mortality, were similar in the 2 groups. Further study is needed to determine the cost-effectiveness of CMV preventive modalities.

e19373 Background: Increasing healthcare costs often result in many individuals and families foregoing required care, delaying care, or non-adhering to prescribed medication. Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a highly specialized procedure that has the potential to adversely affect the socioeconomic well-being of patients and their family. Financial well-being in patients undergoing evaluation for HCT has been inadequately studied. In this prospective cohort study, we examined financial toxicity in a cohort of patients being considered for HCT at the Duke Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic. Methods: This is a prospective cohort review of patients age ≥18 years undergoing evaluation for allogeneic HCT between 1/1/2017 – 1/1/2020. Patients that completed a baseline financial health survey and the comprehensive score for financial toxicity-functional assessment of chronic illness therapy (COST-FACIT) survey were included. Financial health was measured via baseline survey and financial distress was assessed via the validated COST-FACIT measure. The primary outcome was financial distress. Results: Of 157 consecutive patients, 112 (71.3%) completed financial toxicity assessments. Of these, 63.4% were male, had a mean age of 61.0, were predominantly white (74.4%), and majority had household incomes less than $90,000 (53.7%). Primary diagnosis at screening was leukemia (35.4%) and myelodysplastic neoplasm (31.7%). Overall, 94.5% noted an inability to see a physician in the prior year due to cost, 76.8% had not filled a prescription due to cost, 73.2% reduced spending on basics like food or clothing to pay for cancer care, 69.5% borrowed money or used a credit card to pay for cancer care, 54.9% used all or a portion of their savings to pay for cancer care, and 54.9% reduced spending on leisure activities like vacations, eating out, or movies to pay for cancer care. Overall, 31 (37.8%) respondents noted mild financial distress while 26 (34.1%) noted moderate-to-high financial distress. Conclusions: Previous studies in the solid tumor and hematological malignancy fields have noted similar results in financial toxicity. However, this is the first study of its kind to demonstrate prevalent financial toxicity present in a cohort of patients undergoing evaluation for HCT. Early interventions by physician and social work led teams may benefit patients who are at risk for financial distress. Future directions include investigating factors associated with high financial toxicity in HCT, and whether financial distress is related to worse outcomes after transplant.

Background Delirium is common among adults undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT), although the clinical predictors and neuroimaging correlates of postoperative delirium have not been adequately delineated. We therefore examined the frequency of delirium and neuroimaging correlates of post-HCT delirium in a retrospective cohort of 115 adults undergoing BMT. Methods Delirium was established using previously validated methods for retrospective identification of chart-assessed postoperative delirium. Chart reviews were independently conducted by a team including a HCT physician, a transplant psychiatrist, a transplant psychologist, and a psychiatry resident on consecutive allogeneic HCT patients who underwent neuroimaging assessments, transplanted between January, 2009 December, 2016Y. Neuroimaging markers of cortical volume loss and white matter hyperintensities were also recorded. Results One hundred fifteen patients were included, ranging in age from 20 to 74 (mean age = 49 [SD = 13]). Fifty-three patients (46%) developed post-HCT delirium. In an adjusted model, delirium incidence was associated with older age (OR = 1.92 [1.28, 2.87] per decade, P = .002), greater severity of white matter hyperintensities (OR = 1.95 [1.06, 3.57], P = .031), and treatment regimen intensity (OR = 6.37 [2.20, 18.45], P Conclusions Greater incidence of delirium following BMT was associated with greater age, microvascular burden, and more severe treatment regimen. Pre-HCT consideration of microvascular burden and other neuroimaging biomarkers of risk may be warranted.

Introduction: Dysbiosis of the gut microbiome during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is associated with adverse post-transplant outcomes such as graft-versus-host disease, bloodstream infections, and mortality. In order to learn more about the role of the microbiome in HCT in adverse clinical outcomes, researchers collect stool samples from patients at various time points throughout HCT. However, unlike blood samples or skin swabs, stool collection requires active subject participation, particularly in the outpatient setting, and may be limited by patient aversion to handling stool. By providing study participants with compensation for their stool samples, we hypothesize that we can significantly increase stool collection rates. Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study on the impact of financial incentives on stool collection rates for microbiome studies. The intervention group consisted of allogeneic (allo)-HCT patients from 05/2017-05/2018 who were compensated with a $10 gas gift card for each stool sample. The intervention group was compared to a historical control group consisting of allo-HCT patients from 11/2016-05/2017 who provided stool samples before the incentive was implemented. To control for potential changes in collections over time, we also compared a contemporaneous control group of autologous (auto)-HCT patients from 05/2017-05/2018 with a historical control group of auto-HCT patients from 11/2016-05/2017; neither auto-HCT groups were compensated. Allo-HCT patients were required to give samples at pre-HCT, day 0 (the day of HCT), and days 7, 14, 21, 30, 60, and 90 post-HCT. Auto-HCT patients were required to give samples at pre-HCT and days 7, 14, and 90 post-HCT. Collection rates were defined as the number of samples provided divided by the number of time points for which we attempted to obtain samples. Patient characteristics were summarized by proportions for categorical variables and median with interquartile ranges for continuous variables. Chi-square tests or Fisher's exact tests were used to compare categorical variables, as appropriate, and Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests or t-tests were used to compare continuous variables, as appropriate. This study was approved by the Duke Institutional Review Board, and informed consent was obtained from all patients. Results: There were 35 allo-HCT patients in the intervention group, 19 allo-HCT patients in the historical control group, 142 auto-HCT patients in the contemporaneous control group, and 75 auto-HCT patients in the historical control group. Groups were similar with regard to baseline demographics such as age, race, and gender. While allo-HCT patients were more likely to have leukemia and auto-HCT patients were more likely to have lymphoma and multiple myeloma, there were no differences in disease rates across the study periods. Allo-HCT patients in the intervention group had significantly higher average overall collection rates when compared to the historical control group allo-HCT patients (80% vs 37%, p Discussion: Our results demonstrate that even a modest incentive can significantly increase collection rates. Use of a contemporaneous control group to account for potential differences in stool collection rates over time strengthens our finding that financial incentives increase stool collection rates. Furthermore, the significant increase in collection rates in the outpatient setting highlights the role of the incentive when patient participation is needed, as opposed to the inpatient setting in which the nurse assists with collection. While this study uses a specialized HCT patient population, these results may be generalizable to future studies and aid other researchers in obtaining stool samples needed for future microbiome studies. Disclosures Peled: Seres Therapeutics: Other: IP licensing fees, Research Funding. van den Brink:Acute Leukemia Forum (ALF): Consultancy, Honoraria; Juno Therapeutics: Other: Licensing; Merck & Co, Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria; Seres Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Therakos: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; Flagship Ventures: Consultancy, Honoraria; Evelo: Consultancy, Honoraria; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Magenta and DKMS Medical Council: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Sung:Novartis: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Seres: Research Funding.

Background: The gut microbiota interacts extensively with the host immune system and thus may modify the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). During the post-transplant neutropenic period, the majority of allogeneic HSCT recipients receive empirical broad-spectrum antibiotics for febrile neutropenia. We hypothesized that receipt of an antibiotic regimen with an anaerobic spectrum of activity is associated with a higher risk of grade II-IV acute GVHD than receipt of a non-anaerobic antibiotic regimens. Methods: In this single-center retrospective cohort study, we evaluated associations between peri-transplant receipt of antibiotics with an anaerobic spectrum of activity and the risk and severity of GVHD among 877 adults who received an allogeneic HSCT between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2016. We identified 609 patients who developed febrile neutropenia after HSCT and compared GVHD risk and mortality among patients who received anaerobic antibiotics (piperacillin-tazobactam or carbapenems; n=333) to patients who received only antibiotics with minimal activity against anaerobes (aztreonam, ceftazidime, or cefepime; n=276). Antibiotics received by patients between 7 days before and 28 days after allogeneic HSCT and GVHD diagnoses were verified via manual review of medication orders and provider notes in electronic medical records. Results: Receipt of anaerobic antibiotics was associated with an increased risks of grade II-IV acute GVHD (hazard ratio (HR): 1.41; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-1.79; P=0.01) and acute GVHD mortality (HR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.13, 3.11; P=0.02). This hazard was primarily associated with acute GVHD of the gut or liver (HR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.79; P=0.02). The association remained with even short ( Conclusions: Receipt of anaerobic antibiotics for febrile neutropenia post-HSCT is associated with an increased risks of acute GVHD of the gut or liver and acute GVHD mortality. Limiting use of antibiotics with an anaerobic spectrum of activity after allogeneic HSCT may reduce acute GVHD incidence and mortality. Disclosures Sung: Novartis: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Seres: Research Funding. Martin:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Other: research support; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Other: research support.

Introduction: Geriatric assessment (GA) is a multidimensional evaluation of patient health and function that may detect impairments not identified as part of routine care, predict treatment-related morbidity and mortality, and inform treatment plans. Given evidence of these benefits, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) recommend GA for older candidates of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). However, both older and younger HCT candidates will often receive multiple rounds of chemotherapy before HCT, leading to functional impairments in all age groups. Furthermore, HCT patients often experience a significant gap between when they are first evaluated and actually proceed to transplant (e.g., while a donor search is conducted), creating an opportunity to identify impairments and optimize function prior to transplant. Methods: To address this opportunity, we created a clinical pre-HCT optimization program (C-POP) to evaluate physical function, cognitive function, nutritional status, and mental health in all adults who were deemed potential candidates for allogeneic HCT by a HCT physician. We applied this standard of care program to all adult candidates for HCT, regardless of age, with the goal of identifying functional impairments and then referring patients to services to optimize those impairments prior to HCT. We defined impairments using validated measures and compared results to established norms or scoring, controlling for age and gender where appropriate (e.g., the cut-off for six-minute walk distance was adjusted for age, gender, height, and weight, while the cut-off for falls was any fall regardless of characteristics). Patients with impairments were referred to the appropriate supportive care (e.g., physical function impairment -> referral to physical therapy). Results were prospectively analyzed at new patient evaluation (NPE), which was the first time the patient met a HCT physician and sign-off, which occurred within a week before starting transplant. While the program is ongoing, we present here the results of patients evaluated between October 16th, 2017 and July 1st, 2019. Patients are divided into three pre-specified age groups: =60 years old, with results compared using a chi-squared test. Results: We evaluated 115 patients: 21 (18%) =60 years). There were no differences between the age groups in other demographics (gender, race, and ethnicity). At NPE, 93 (81%) met criteria for at least 1 impairment in physical function, cognitive function, nutritional status, or mental health; 62 (54%) met criteria for impairments in 2 or more areas. Surprisingly, patients =60 years (36/54, 67%) (p=0.03). Of those 115 patients, 52 (45%) proceeded to HCT, including 12 (57%) =60 years (p=0.75); of those patients who have not proceeded to HCT, 40 (35%) will never proceed to HCT (e.g., deemed not a candidate after functional evaluation or died of disease prior to HCT) while 23 (20%) are still awaiting HCT (e.g., donor search ongoing). Patients who proceeded to HCT were less likely to have mental health impairments (2/52, 4% vs. 9/40, 23%, p=0.006). Of the 52 who were seen at new patient evaluation and proceeded to transplant, 40 (77%) were seen at sign off. Of those who had impairments at NPE, 12/23 (52%) improved their physical function to normal limits, 4/9 (44%) improved their cognitive function, and 9/13 (69%) improved their nutritional status by the time of sign-off (of those who were seen at sign-off, none had mental health impairments at NPE). Discussion: These results demonstrate that younger as well as older candidates for HCT exhibit a high degree of functional impairment. However, this impairment could be amenable to improvement prior to HCT. These findings support application of GA to all HCT candidates regardless of age. We will investigate the effect of referred interventions (e.g., physical therapy, seeing a dietician) in improving functional impairments in future studies, as well as look at the effect of these findings on HCT outcomes. Disclosures Wiggins: Incyte, Inc.: Speakers Bureau. Gasparetto:Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, accommodations, or other expenses paid or reimbursed ; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, accommodations, or other expenses paid or reimbursed ; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel, accommodations, or other expenses paid or reimbursed . Rizzieri:Millennium: Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; TEVA: Consultancy; Spectrum: Consultancy; Kite Pharma: Consultancy; Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Speakers Bureau. Horwitz:Abbvie Inc: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Sung:Novartis: Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Seres: Research Funding.