title: Hyperacute graft-versus-host disease accompanied by increased serum interleukin-6 levels.
abstract: Hyperacute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which progresses severely and rapidly, was observed in three patients with acute leukemia transplanted with bone marrow cells from human leukocyte antigens (HLA)-identical and mixed leukocyte reactions (MLR)-negative siblings. Hyperacute GVHD developed in these patients within 7 days after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and was rapidly aggravated inspite of cyclosporin A (CyA) and short-term methotrexate (MTX) prophylaxis and treatment with bolus methylprednisolone (mPSL). These patients showed markedly increased serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels after BMT, whereas other cytokines such as interferon gamma (IFN gamma), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), and IL-2 were not increased compared with pretreatment levels. These findings suggest that markedly increased IL-6 levels may be related to hyperacute GVHD.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hashino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kasai
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakurada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6