Acute intestinal graft-versus-host disease in a syngeneic bone marrow transplant recipient

Transplantation. 1998 Nov 15;66(9):1251-3. doi: 10.1097/00007890-199811150-00022.

Abstract

Background: We report a case of intestinal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in a syngeneic bone marrow transplant patient.

Methods: Several days after receiving a bone marrow transplant from his identical twin for treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a 47-year-old man developed a skin rash and diarrhea.

Results: A colonic biopsy on day +15 revealed characteristic changes of acute intestinal GVHD. Molecular studies (microsatellite DNA and HLA sequence-specific primer polymerase chain reaction analyses) confirmed the genotypic identity of donor and host and the improbability of transfusion-associated GVHD.

Conclusion: This case illustrates that pathological evidence of GVHD does not absolutely require the presence of genetic differences between host and donor and questions existing concepts about the nature of cyclosporine-induced GVHD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / immunology*
  • Cyclosporine / adverse effects
  • Graft vs Host Disease / chemically induced*
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects
  • Intestinal Diseases / immunology*
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Transplantation, Isogeneic

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Cyclosporine