METHODS
We describe our experience with using abatacept (Aba) as GVHD prophylaxis in four pediatric patients who received haplo-HCT. Our study was approved by the institutional Research Ethics Board. We conducted a retrospective chart review on all children who received a haploidentical HCT at The Hospital for Sick Children (Sickkids) in Toronto, Canada between January 2015 and July 2020.
Inclusion criteria consisted of: (a) age <18 years at time of transplantation, (b) recipient of a peripheral blood stem cell graft from HLA haploidentical donors (c) received non PTCy GVHD prophylaxis, and (d) may have malignant or non-malignant disorder. All patients who met the inclusion criteria have had at least 180 day follow up post-transplant at the time of this report. There were five recipients who were eligible for inclusion in this cohort. One patient was excluded from analysis to avoid confounding the outcome as the patient had also received immunosuppression with etanercept as part of the treatment for underlying disease.