title: Pericardial graft vs. host disease in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome following peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.
abstract: A patient with myelodysplastic syndrome developed pericardial effusion 20 month after allogenic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. Sclerotic and erythematous skin lesions were observed over the face and extremities, and a diagnosis of chronic graft vs. host disease (GVHD) was made based on skin biopsy findings. Pericardial fluid contained numerous CD8+/HLA-DR+ lymphocytes, but no leukaemic cells. Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and soluble Fas (sFas) levels were highly elevated in both the effusion and serum. The patient was treated with methylprednisolone and tacrolimus. Skin GVHD improved rapidly associated with resolution of pericardial effusion and reductions in cytokine levels. We concluded that pericardial effusion was due to pericarditis and was a manifestation of chronic GVHD in this patient, and that cytotoxic lymphocytes and specific cytokines played significant roles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-33 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan. yass-gnm@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsushima
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Doki
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsumita
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takizawa
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yokohama
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Handa
authors.forename: Norifumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsukamoto
authors.forename: Masamitsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karasawa
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nojima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010496:Pericardium / Q000503:physiopathology; D036102:Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019014:fas Receptor; D016559:Tacrolimus