ABSTRACT
Objective
To assess the rate of, and risk factors for, human cytomegalovirus viremia (HCMV) in donor+/recipient+ (HCMV serostatus matched) hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients.
Methods
HCMV DNA from 144 donor+/recipient+ HSCT recipients was examined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).
Results
The cumulative incidence of HCMV viremia was 69.4% (100/144) during the 48 weeks after HSCT. In a multivariate analysis, acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) was discovered to be a risk factor for the occurrence of HCMV viremia (P = .006). The cumulative incidence of HCMV viremia and increasing DNA loads were significantly associated with aGVHD occurrence (P = .001 for each). The occurrence of late-term HCMV viremia was associated with aGVHD (P = .001) and a higher DNA load during the first 12 weeks after HSCT (P = .04).
Conclusions
aGVHD is a risk factor for HCMV viremia. Recipients with aGVHD who have a high HCMV DNA load should be strictly monitored to prevent HCMV activation.
The immunosuppressive effect of human cytomegalovirus infection in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
