The Effectiveness and Optimal Timing of PEG-rhG-CSF After Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation: A Multicenter Experience

No consensus has been made on the use of PEG-modification recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (PEG-rhG-CSF) in patients receiving autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). To evaluate the efficacy and safety of PEG-rhG-CSF in provision of neutrophil support for lymphoma patients receiving autologous PBSCT. This retrospective study included lymphoma patients receiving either PEG-rhG-CSF or rhG-CSF after autologous PBSCT from 2018 to 2021 in two clinics. Hematologic recovery time, incidence of infectious complications and toxicity were compared between these two rhG-CSFs and among different initiation time of PEG-rhG-CSF. Of the 139 subjects included, 93 received PEG-rhG-CSF and 46 received rhG-CSF after transplantation. Compared with rhG-CSF, PEG-rhG-CSF marginally but significantly accelerated the neutrophil engraftment by 1 day (10 vs. 9 days, respectively) with no increasing on the risk of infectious complication and toxicity. In the PEG-rhG-CSF group, 50 patients received the growth factor on day 1, 19 received on day 3 and 24 received on day 5. The neutrophil engraftment was significantly shorter in day 1 and day 3 subgroup (9, 9, and 10 days, respectively), with a lower incidence of febrile neutropenia (82%, 100%, 100%) and documented infections (76%, 100%, 100%) in day 1 subgroup. PEG-rhG-CSF might be an alternative to rhG-CSF for lymphoma patients received autologous PBSCT. Administrating PEG-rhG-CSF on day 1 can achieve both faster hematologic recovery and lower infectious complications.

Automated summary

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PEG-rhG-CSF in lymphoma patients receiving autologous PBSCT. The results showed that compared with rhG-CSF, PEG-rhG-CSF can marginally accelerate neutrophil engraftment without increasing the risk of infectious complications and toxicity. In the PEG-rhG-CSF group, administering on day 1 can achieve faster hematologic recovery and lower infectious complications.