Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate factors related to outcomes of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in patients with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) and viability of frozen stock for FMT. Methods: Clinical data of patients who had received FMT for CDI were prospectively collected.Next-generation 16S rRNA gene sequencing of bacteria was performed from donors’ and recipients’ stool. Colony-forming units (CFUs) of cultures from frozen stock solutions for FMT were measured at 0, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48 weeks after preparation of the solutions. Results: In total, 25 FMT procedures were performed in 20 cases (14 fresh and 11 frozen FMT).Forty-five percent of cases involved fulminant CDI. The overall success rate was 55% after the 1st FMT and 75% after the 2nd FMT. The success rate was significantly higher in partially treated CDI than in refractory CDI (100% vs 71.4%; p=0.001). In successful cases only, the decrease in alpha-diversity in the recipient stool microbiomes was recovered after FMT to a level similar to that in donor stools. There was a significant difference in the microbiome composition in pre-FMT recipients’ stool between successful and failed cases (p=0.001). The CFUs of frozen solution for FMT did not decrease for 48 weeks in both aerobic and anaerobic cultures. Conclusions FMT is highly effective in partially treated CDI but not in refractory CDI. The microbiome differs between failed and successful cases. Frozen stock for FMT is viable up to 48weeks.

BACKGROUND: Efforts to overcome poor outcomes in patients with adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have focused on combining new therapeutic agents targeting immunophenotypic markers (IPMs) with classical cytotoxic agents; therefore, it is important to evaluate the clinical significance of IPMs. METHODS: Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with adult ALL were retrospectively analyzed. The percentage of blasts expressing IPMs at diagnosis was measured by multicolor flow cytometry analysis. Samples in which > or =20% of blasts expressed an IPM were considered positive. RESULTS: Among the total patient population (N=230), almost all (92%) were in first or second hematological complete remission (HCR) and 54% received allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT). Five-year hematologic relapse-free survival (HRFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 36% and 39%, respectively, and 45.6% and 80.5% of patients were positive for the IPMs CD20 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT), respectively. Expression of CD20, CD13, CD34, and TdT was associated with HRFS rate, and expression of CD20 and CD13 was associated with OS rate, as was the performance of allo-HCT. In multivariate analysis, positivity for CD20 (HRFS: hazard ratio [HR], 2.21, P<0.001; OS: HR, 1.63, P=0.015) and negativity for TdT (HRFS: HR, 2.30, P=0.001) were both significantly associated with outcomes. When patients were categorized into three subgroups according to positivity for CD20 and TdT, there were significant differences in HRFS and OS among the subgroups. CONCLUSION: Positivity for CD20 and TdT expression and clinical risk group were prognostic factors in adult ALL.
Adult* ; Cytotoxins ; Diagnosis ; DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma* ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Although allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the only curative treatment option for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a substantial number of patients experience relapse. We reviewed the clinical outcomes of patients with MDS who relapsed after allogeneic HCT. METHODS: Thirty patients who experienced relapse or progression after allogeneic HCT for MDS between July 2000 and May 2016 were included in this retrospective analysis. RESULTS: The median time from HCT to relapse was 6.6 (range, 0.9–136.3) months. Donor lymphocyte infusions (DLIs) were administered to four patients: one achieved complete remission (CR) and survived disease free, while three did not respond to DLI and died. Hypomethylating agents were administered to seven patients: one who had stable disease continuously received decitabine, while six died without response to treatment. Six patients received AML-like intensive chemotherapy, and three achieved CR: two underwent second HCT and one DLI. One patient receiving second HCT survived without disease, but the other two relapsed and died. Three, four, and eight patients who did not respond to intensive chemotherapy, low-dose cytarabine, and best supportive care, respectively, died. One patient who underwent second HCT following cytogenetic relapse survived disease free. Median overall survival after relapse was 4.4 months, and relapse within 6 months after HCT was associated with shorter survival. CONCLUSION: Outcomes of MDS patients relapsing after allogeneic HCT were disappointing. Some patients could be saved using DLI or second HCT.
Cell Transplantation* ; Cytarabine ; Cytogenetics ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants*