Lichenoid graft-vs-host disease in an autologous bone marrow transplant recipient.
BACKGROUND
Graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) represents one of the major complications of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) but is less common in autologous BMT. Following autologous BMT, chronic GVHD has been reported in only four patients, all of whom had a self-limited sclerodermoid form. Lichenoid chronic GVHD has not been previously reported in an autologous BMT patient.


METHODS
Mucosal and cutaneous lichenoid lesions and histologic findings compatible with chronic lichenoid GVHD developed in a patient 35 days after autologous BMT was performed. The onset of clinical lesions at 35 days after BMT is not incongruent with the diagnosis of chronic lichenoid GVHD (rather than a graft-vs-host reaction) and may have been augmented by cyclosporin A in a manner similar to animal model experiments.


CONCLUSIONS
All forms of GVHD can and do occur following autologous BMT.
Martin
R W
RW
Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.
Farmer
E R
ER
Altomonte
V L
VL
Vogelsang
G B
GB
Santos
G W
GW
D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D017512:Lichenoid Eruptions / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male