Association of recipient and donor hypercholesterolemia prior allogeneic stem cell transplantation and graft-versus-host disease

Few authors have reported a decreased frequency of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) using statins, as these medications have anti-inflammatory effects, however, to date, the direct association between high cholesterol and GVHD has not been reported. The aim of his study was to investigate the association of recipient and donor hypercholesterolemia with the incidence of aGVHD. A retrospective analysis was performed identifying allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) recipients and donors at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition in Mexico City between May 1999 and August 2017. The final cohort included 113 consecutive patients undergoing allo-HSCT and 110 donors with complete data. Acute GVHD was present in 24% patients. A statistically significant increase in the frequency of aGVHD associated with hypercholesterolemia in the recipients or donors (p = 0.03 and p = 0.008, respectively). Hypercholesterolemia in both, donor and recipient, was also associated with increased aGVHD compared to either patient or donor having hypercholesterolemia or neither (p = 0.002). No statistical significance was observed for other variables. To date, this is the first study associating hypercholesterolemia with aGVHD. According to our results we conclude that hypercholesterolemia in the donor, or in both, the patient and donor, is an independent factor for the development of aGVHD, however, further prospective and larger studies are needed as our results are preliminary.