CYTOMEGALOVIRUS PROPHYLAXIS vs PRE-EMPTIVE STRATEGY: DIFFERENT CD4+ AND CD8+ T – CELL RECONSTITUTION AFTER ALLOGENEIC HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION

Abstract Reconstitution of T-cell after transplantation is a determinant of the long–term success of the procedure and it is well known the correlation with T-cell recovery and cytomegalovirus reactivation and disease. We evaluated 110 transplanted patients: 55 received pre–emptive antiviral treatment, in the other 55 patients prophylaxis with letermovir was employed. A progressive statistical significant difference in T–cell reconstitution between the two groups was observed, starting from day +60 with faster recovery in the pre-emptive group. Moreover, higher incidence of cytomegalovirus reactivation was observed in prophylactic group after discontinuation of letermovir, and subsequent antiviral treatment has been necessary. Our findings confirm, as previous reported, that cytomegalovirus reactivation is a potent stimulator of T–cell function.