title: Extracorporeal Photopheresis for Non-skin GvHD.
abstract: Graft versus host disease (GvHD) is one of the most feared adverse events of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In severe grades of GvHD patients die from infections due to impairment of their immune defense or therapy-refractory involvement of intestines, liver and lung. Extracorporeal photopheresis is an effective treatment for acute and chronic graft versus host disease without severe impairment of the recipient's immune system. It is generally better known for its effect on skin GvHD but all other manifestations of GvHD can respond as well. Herein we report a brief review of its history and give an overview of the current knowledge of extracorporeal photopheresis in non-skin GvHD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Saarland University Hospital, Homburg, Germany Joerg.thomas.bittenbring@uks.eu.
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bittenbring
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Saarland University Hospital, Homburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reichrath
mesh_terms: D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D017893:Photopheresis / Q000379:methods
keywords: Extracorporeal photopheresis; graft versus host disease; review