Graft-versus-host disease

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Antibodies

GVHD

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.

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

Review Date: 06/02/2010
Reviewed By: 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.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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