Isomorphic sclerotic-type cutaneous chronic graft-versus-host disease: report and review of chronic graft-versus-host disease in a cutaneous immunocompromised district

How I treat refractory chronic graft-versus-host disease

Approximately 35% to 50% of patients otherwise cured of hematologic malignancies after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation will develop the pleomorphic autoimmune-like syndrome known as chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Since in 2005, National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus panels have proposed definitions and classifications of disease to standardize treatment trials. Recently, the first agent was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for steroid-refractory cGVHD. Despite these advances, most individuals do not achieve durable resolution of disease activity with initial treatment. Moreover, standardized recommendations on how to best implement existing and novel immunomodulatory agents and taper salvage agents are often lacking. Given the potential life-threatening nature of cGVHD, we employ in our practice patient assessment templates at each clinic visit to elucidate known prognostic indicators and red flags. We find NIH scoring templates practical for ongoing assessments of these complex patient cases and determination of when changes in immunosuppressive therapy are warranted. Patients not eligible or suitable for clinical trials have systemic and organ-directed adjunctive treatments crafted in a multidisciplinary clinic. Herein, we review these treatment options and offer a management and monitoring scaffold for representative patients with cGVHD not responding to initial therapy.

Chronic cutaneous lichenoid graft-versus-host disease at the area of herpes zoster infection and at a vaccination site

Cutaneous graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a frequent complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplant and haematopoietic cell transplantation, but it is rarely presented as a Wolf's isotopic response. We report a patient who developed chronic lichenoid GVHD following the dermatomes previously affected by varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection. Nineteen months later, the same patient suffered from reactivation of GVHD at the injection site of an influenza vaccination. We review the literature concerning GVHD appearing after VZV infection and discuss the possible implications of this case and the pathogenic hypotheses.