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Graft-versus-host disease - Symptom

Alternative Names

GVHD

Symptoms:

Symptoms in both acute and chronic GVHD range from mild to severe.

Common acute symptoms include:

Abdominal pain or cramps
Diarrhea
Fever
Jaundice
Skin rash
Vomiting
Weight loss

Chronic symptoms may include:

Dry eyes and dry mouth
Hair loss
Hepatitis
Lung and digestive tract disorders
Skin rash
Skin thickening

In both acute and chronic GVHD, the patient is very vulnerable to infections.

Signs and tests:

The tests done usually depend on the symptoms, but may include:

Gastrointestinal endoscopy, with or without a biopsy
Liver function tests (AST, ALP, and bilirubin levels will be increased)
Liver biopsy (if the patient only has liver symptoms)
Lung x-rays
Skin biopsy

Antibodies

Reviewed last on: 6/2/2010
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Shattil SS, et al, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2008.

Sykes M. Transplantation immunology. In Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 46.

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