Outcome of allogenic bone marrow transplantation in aplastic Anaemia

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate early outcomes of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in patients with aplastic anaemia.

Method: The retrospective, observational study was conducted at the Department of Clinical Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Gambat Medical College in Sindh, Pakistan, and comprised data from June 2021 to June 2025 of patients who underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. All procedures were conducted in isolation chambers equipped with laminar airflow and high-efficiency particulate air filtration systems, and stem cells were obtained from sibling donors fully matched for human leukocyte antigens. Data recorded from the patient files included demographics, donor characteristics, stem cell source and dosage, transplant-related complications, and post-transplant outcomes, including disease-free survival and overall survival. Data was analysed using SPSS 26.

Results: Of the 56patients, 34(60.6%) were male and 22(39.4%) were female. The overall median age was 19 years (interquartile range: 4-41 years). Stem cells were sourced exclusively from bone marrow in 38(67.9%) patients, followed by 17(30.4%) who received a combination of bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells. The most common early post-transplant complications were fungal infections23(41.1%) and cyclosporine-induced hypertension13(23.2%). In the first 100 days, there were 14(25%) deaths, leaving both the 100-day overall survival and disease-free survival rates to be 42(75%).

Conclusion: Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation was found to be a viable curative treatment for severe aplastic anaemia even in resource-limited settings.

Key Words: Aplastic anaemia, Allogeneic stem cell transplantation, post-transplant complications.