title: Graft-vs-host disease as a complication of lung transplantation.
abstract: We report a rare case of acute graft-vs-host disease (aGVHD) after a lung transplant. The patient presented with advanced disease manifested by skin rash, fever, diarrhea, liver dysfunction and severe pancytopenia. He went on to die of sepsis and multi-organ failure. aGVHD is a disease often confused with drug reactions or viral infection; therefore, it is important to have a high index of suspicion and to confirm the diagnosis early with tests for donor cell chimerism. Effective treatment is elusive but we are learning a great deal about the underlying mechanisms of this disease and hope to develop better treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75246, USA. dsmith@baylorhealth.edu
authors.forename: Douglas M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Edward D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Agura
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ausloos
authors.forename: W Steves
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Ring
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Domiati-Saad
authors.forename: Goran B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Klintmalm
mesh_terms: D046528:Chimerism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D014019:Tissue Donors