title: Systematic management of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
abstract: Patients with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) develop multiple organ failure (MOF), so systematic management is needed. First, patients should be kept in a clean room. Antibiotics, anti-fungal drugs and gamma-globulins are essential for the prevention and treatment of infections. If patients are hypoxic for the nasal cannula or the mask, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or artificial ventilation must be used. In the treatment of hepatic dysfunction, lactulose, branched chain amino acid, glucagon-insulin, and Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) are given. If plasma exchanges are ineffective, a bilirubin absorption therapy may remain partially effective. In the treatment of renal failure, diuretics, PGE1 and dopamine are given. Hemofiltration and hemodialysis will be effective. But the effective treatment for post-transfusion GVHD is unavailable, so systematic management of GVHD is no more than allopathic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Fukushima Medical College, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akama
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tase
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okuaki
mesh_terms: D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000628:therapy; D065227:Transfusion Reaction