Pulmonary infections in patients with acute myeloid leukemia receiving frontline treatment with hypomethylating agents

• Published in: Leukemia & lymphoma Vol. 64; no. 11; pp. 1840 - 1846
• Main Authors: Scamuffa, Maria Cristina, Latagliata, Roberto, Carmosino, Ida, Di Veroli, Ambra, Scalzulli, Emilia, Trapè, Giulio, Ciotti, Giulia, De Angelis, Gioia, Tartaglia, Germana, Tarnani, Michela, Breccia, Massimo, Girmenia, Corrado
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.2023
• Subjects: Azacitidine - adverse effects; Humans; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - complications; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - drug therapy; Remission Induction; Retrospective Studies; hypomethylating agents; Acute myeloid leukemia; pulmonary infections
• ISSN: 1042-8194; 1029-2403
• DOI: 10.1080/10428194.2023.2239407

Pulmonary infections (PIs) are a major complication of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) treated with hypomethylating agents (HMA). We retrospectively evaluated 147 AML patients treated frontline with HMA in 2 Centers. Total number of HMA cycles was 1397. There were 88 episodes of PI in 64 patients (43.5%). Thirty-five/147 patients at risk (23.8%) developed at least 1 episode of early PI (during cycles 1-2). Median OS in patients who developed early PI was 3.3 months (95% CI 0.8 - 5.8) versus 10.5 months (95% CI 8.4 - 12.7) in patients without PI or with PI beyond the 2nd cycle (  < .001). Early PIs were an independent factor predicting lower survival (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.28 - 2.93;  = .002). In conclusion, early PIs are common in AML patients receiving HMA and are associated with an unfavorable outcome. The results of our study raise the issue of a tailored infection prevention strategy.