Hematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity index and risk of developing invasive fungal infections after allografting

Alessandro Busca, Roberto Passera, Enrico Maffini, Moreno Festuccia, Lucia Brunello, Chiara Maria Dellacasa, Semra Aydin, Chiara Frairia, Sara Manetta, Sara Butera, Giorgia Iovino, Luisa Giaccone, Mohamed Sorror, Rainer Storb, Francesco Giuseppe De Rosa, Benedetto Bruno

We evaluated the potential correlation of the hematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity index (HCT-CI) with the risk of developing post-transplant invasive fungal infections (IFIs). Between January 2009 and March 2015, 312 consecutive patients who received a first allograft entered the study. Low/intermediate HCT-CI risk score (0-2) was observed in 172/312 (55%), whereas high HCT-CI score (≥3) was seen in 140/312 (45%). Overall, 51/312 (16%) patients experienced IFI, defined as possible in 19 (6%), probable in 27 (9%), and proven in 5 (2%). Cumulative incidence of probable-proven IFI at 1 year was 8.5% with a significant higher incidence in patients with high HCT-CI (12%) vs. those with low-intermediate HCT-CI (5%; p = 0.006). There was a strong trend for a higher incidence of baseline severe pulmonary comorbidity in patients who developed probable-proven IFI (p = 0.051). One-year cumulative incidence of non-relapse mortality was higher in patients with IFI vs. those without, 49 and 16% (p < 0.001). By multivariate analysis, disease status at transplant and high HCT-CI, when combined with acute GVHD, were independently associated with the risk of post-transplant IFI. This study shows that a high HCT-CI predicts the risk of developing IFI and may indicate the need of mold-active antifungal prophylaxis in high-risk patients.