Cutaneous manifestations of graft versus host disease in a population of pediatric and young adults patients

Abstract

Bone marrow transplant is a potentially curative therapy for several diseases, and allogeneic bone marrow transplant is the most commonly indicated type for leukemias. Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is the main complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplant. In both acute and chronic GVHD, the skin is the most frequently involved organ. The objective of this study was to analyze cutaneous manifestations of this disease. Retrospective and descriptive study that included 59 transplanted patients aged 0 to 20 years. In 50 cases allogeneic bone marrow transplant was performed. Twenty-five patients developed GVHD (17 acute disease and 8 chronic disease) and 24 of them had cutaneous involvement. According to the literature, skin compromise was the commonest clinical manifestation of GVHD. Main finding in acute GVHD in our series was the erythematous maculopapular rash, while in chronic GVHD they were sclerotic lesions resembling morphea.