Successful reversal of severe refractory cardiac allograft rejection by photopheresis.
We treated 4 patients with refractory International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation Grades IIIA to IV cardiac allograft rejection with extracorporeal photopheresis. Following treatment on 2 consecutive days, 3 patients demonstrated complete histologic reversal of rejection. The remaining patient improved more gradually, but manifested complete cessation of rejection following three 2-day treatments. We conclude that photopheresis is a safe and effective modality for the treatment of severe refractory cardiac allograft rejection and that these results support the use of photopheresis in this clinical setting.
Lehrer
M S
MS
Department of Dermatology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Rook
A H
AH
Tomaszewski
J E
JE
DeNofrio
D
D
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000628:therapy*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017893:Photopheresis