Chronic Graft-Versus-Host-Disease-Related Polymyositis: a 17-Months-Old Child with a Rare and Late Complication of Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.
Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis 2020;
12:e2020002. [PMID:
31934312 PMCID:
PMC6951354 DOI:
10.4084/mjhid.2020.002]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) occurs in 20–30% of paediatric patients receiving haemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Neuromuscular disorders such as polymyositis are considered a rare and distinctive but non-diagnostic manifestation of cGVHD and, in the absence of other characteristic signs and symptoms, biopsy is highly recommended to exclude other causes.
Case report
We report a case of a 17-months-old child affected by hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis who underwent a matched unrelated donor haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). She developed severe cGVHD-related polymyositis that was successfully treated with high-dose steroid therapy, rituximab and sirolimus.
Conclusions
This is the first case of cGVHD-related-polymyositis described in a pediatric patient which was successfully treated with rituximab.
Collapse