Graft-versus-host disease



Graft-versus-host disease


James Lee Landero, Kurt W. Grelck and Carlos H. Nousari


Evidence Levels:  A Double-blind study  B Clinical trial ≥ 20 subjects  C Clinical trial < 20 subjects  D Series ≥ 5 subjects  E Anecdotal case reports


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Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) affects the skin, liver, and gastrointestinal tract and typically occurs in the setting of allogeneic bone marrow transplants. Host disease results from interactions between adaptive and innate immune systems of both host and donor (graft), in which host tissues are identified as foreign by the graft.


Acute GVHD (aGVHD) classically occurs 100 days after transplantation (usually several weeks) and presents as a maculopapular eruption which may progress to erythroderma, and less commonly to a toxic epidermal necrolysis-like eruption. Dermatologic findings are frequently accompanied by diarrhea and rising bilirubin levels.


Chronic GVHD (cGVHD) occurs 100 days after transplantation as a mucocutaneous lichen-planus-like eruption and/or sclerodermatous process, with hepatic, gastrointestinal, and pulmonary pathology.




Management strategy


Treatment, timing and presentation of GVHD depend on the type of transplant, pre-transplantation ablative therapy, marrow preparation, prophylactic medications, and previous treatments. Evolution of transplant strategies such as reduced-intensity conditioning, and donor lymphocyte infusion, combined with recognition of overlap phenomena, and late-onset aGVHD, have blurred the classic temporally defined division of aGVHD and cGVHD.


Prevention of GVHD is typically with a combination of methotrexate (MTX) and calcineurin inhibitor, with or without additional corticosteroids. Combinations using tacrolimus, cyclophosphamide, or mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) are also effective. Sirolimus, thalidomide, hydroxychloroquine, muromonab-CD3, alemtuzumab, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, keratinocyte growth factor, IL-1 receptor antibody, IL-2 receptor antibody, antithymocyte globulin, intravenous immunoglobulin, pentostatin, and extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) have also been evaluated with mixed or preliminary results. Corticosteroids are not part of prophylaxis in spite of reductions in mild and severe aGVHD, as overall survival, disease-free survival, and incidence of relapse are not affected.


Following transplantation, 25–80% will manifest with aGVHD. For stage I aGVHD topical steroids are reasonable with or without phototherapy. For grade II-IV aGVHD first-line therapy is systemic corticosteroids, given in consultation with a transplant specialist (methylprednisolone 2 mg/kg/day, with eventual taper). If within 5 days there is no response, second-line therapy should be considered. Response to first-line therapy is the most important factor predicting long-term survival.


Second-line therapy should be initiated after non-response to high-dose steroids for 3 to 5 days, with MMF, tacrolimus, pentostatin, or antithymocyte globulin. Well designed trials do not exist to adequately compare therapies. Supportive care includes cessation of oral intake, total parenteral nutrition with hyperalimentation, antibiotic and antiviral prophylaxis, and pain control.


cGVHD treatment depends on extent of organ involvement. Skin or mucosal disease requires local therapy, whereas extensive disease (generalized cutaneous or localized cutaneous with visceral involvement) requires systemic therapy. Standard treatment is a combination of systemic corticosteroids with or without calcineurin inhibitor (prednisone 1 mg/kg/day and cyclosporine 10 mg/kg/day given as an alternating day regimen).


Refractory cGVHD has no standard therapy due to a lack of randomized controlled trials. Patients refractory to corticosteroids should be considered for clinical trials. Studies show MMF alone or in combination with cyclosporine, or tacrolimus, is beneficial in refractory disease. ECP is becoming reasonable first-line therapy in refractory cGVHD, where available. For sclerodermatous disease, salvage therapy with imatinib, or mTOR inhibitors are advocated. Lichenoid disease responds more with non-pharmacologic therapies such as 8-methoxypsoralen plus ultraviolet A irradiation (PUVA), and ECP.



Acute gvhd


Specific investigations













First-line therapies









image Corticosteroids (methylprednisolone 2 mg/kg/day) A








Second-line therapies































image Mycophenolate mofetil B
image Extracorporeal photopheresis B
image Monoclonal antibodies:  
 – Anti-IL2 receptor antibodies (daclizumab, basiliximab, inolimomab) B
 – Anti-TNF-α antibodies (infliximab, etanercept) B
image Cyclosporine B
image Tacrolimus B
image Sirolimus B


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Aug 7, 2016 | Posted by in Dermatology | Comments Off on Graft-versus-host disease

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