Introduction

cGvHD

Health Risks

Assessment

Therapy

References

 

 

 

 

Psychosocial

Survivors

 

 

 

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Late Effects

Bone Marrow Transplant and GVHD

 

cGvHD

 

Chronic graft versus host disease (cGvHD) affects multiple organs.  Much of the information about these different effects is given in the different late effects section.

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Many signs are non-specific and are variably present in individual patients.

Organ System

Symptom

Signs

Skin

  • Pruritis
  • Dry, tight skin
  • Sweat impairment
  • Poikiloderma
  • Lichen planus-like features
  • Sclerotic Skin
  • Morphea-like features
  • Lichen sclerosis-like features
  • Depigmentation

Nails

 
  • Dystrophy
  • Onycholysis
  • Nail Loss

Scalp & body hair

  • Loss of hair
  • Premature graying
  • Alopecia with scarring
  • Thinning of hair

Oropharynx

  • Dry mouth (xerostomia)
  • Painful ulcerations
  • Altered taste sensation

  • Lichen-type features
  • Hyperkeratotic plaques
  • Restriction of mouth opening from TMJ sclerosis
  • Mucoceles
  • Ulceration

Eyes and lacrimal glands

  • Dry and gritty eyes (sicca symptoms)
  • Painful eyes
  • Photophobia
  • Keratoconjunctivitis sicca
  • Blepharitis
  • Periorbital hyperpigmentation
  • Punctate keratopathy

Genitalia

  • Vaginal dryness & pain
  • Lichen-planus-like features
  • Vaginal scarring and stenosis

Gastrointestinal

  • Anorexia
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Malnutrition
  • Diarrhea
  • Bloating and cramps
  • Weight loss / Failure to thrive
  • Esophageal web causing strictures or stenosis of upper esophagus
  • Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency

Hepatic

  • Hyperbilirubinemia
  • Hypertransaminitis

Pulmonary

  • Decreased exercise tolerance
  • Dyspnea at rest
  • Cough
  • Bronchiolitis Obliterans

Muscles

Fascia

Joints

  • Joint stiffness
  • Joint contractures
  • Joint swelling
  • Joint pain
  • Muscle pain
  • Arthritis
  • Fasciitis
  • Myositis
  • Joint Contractures
  • Edema

Hematopoietic

  • Autoimmune thrombocytopenia
  • Autoimmune hemolytic anemia
  • Eosinophilia

Immune System

  • Recurrent infections (viral and bacterial)
  • Hyposplenism (common)
  • Hypogammaglobulinemia
  • Generally immunosuppressed

Other

  • Autoantibodies (ANA, anti-dsDNA, Coombs positive)
  • Myasthenia Gravis
  • Nephrotic Syndrome

 

 

 

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