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Graft-versus-host disease

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

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

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

References:

Hoffman R, Benz Jr. EJ, Shattil SJ, et al., eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 4th ed . Philadelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingston; 2005:1783-92.

Kasper DL, Braunwald E, Fauci AS, et al. (eds.) Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 16th Edition (Online). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2005.

• Review Date: 5/30/2007
• Reviewed By: Donald Accetta, MD, MPH, President, Allergy & Asthma Care, PC, Taunton, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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