title: Review of chronic graft-versus-host disease in children after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: nursing perspective.
abstract: This review presents a summary of the research literature related to the incidence and risk factors for chronic graft-versus-host disease in children following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The range of incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease in children found in this review was large, from 0% to 46%. Incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease was influenced by sample size, time posttransplantation, and stem cell source. Characteristics of the person (eg, child's age and gender) and disease/treatment (eg, sources of transplant) are associated with chronic graft-versus-host disease in children after stem cell transplantation. Person and disease/treatment characteristics provide a framework for understanding the factors associated with chronic graft-versus-host disease symptom experiences in children after stem cell transplantation. Timely assessment of presenting chronic graft-versus-host disease symptoms is critical for treatment and prognosis. Nursing interventions should focus on educating children and parents about the signs and symptoms of chronic graft-versus-host disease. The summary of supportive nursing care for children with chronic graft-versus-host disease provides important information to tailor effective management strategies for children with chronic graft-versus-host disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Chang Gung Institute of Technology, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan, ROC. ymliu@mail.cgit.edu.tw
authors.forename: Ying-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hockenberry
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D018450:Disease Progression; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009369:Neoplasms; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D010371:Pediatric Nursing; D012307:Risk Factors; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000451:nursing; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000451:nursing