Prevention and treatment of acute GvHD

• Published in: Bone marrow transplantation (Basingstoke) Vol. 41; no. S2; pp. S65 - S70
• Main Authors: Messina, C, Faraci, M, de Fazio, V, Dini, G, Calò, M P, Calore, E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.06.2008; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Bone marrow; Care and treatment; Cell Biology; Child; Complications; Complications and side effects; Diagnosis; Graft versus host reaction; Graft vs Host Disease - classification; Graft vs Host Disease - drug therapy; Graft vs Host Disease - prevention & control; Hematology; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation - adverse effects; Hematopoietic stem cells; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Internal Medicine; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Morbidity; original-article; Prevention; Prognosis; Prophylaxis; Public Health; Risk factors; Stem cell transplantation; Stem Cells; Steroid hormones; Steroids - therapeutic use; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; Tacrolimus - therapeutic use; Transplantation; Transplantation, Homologous; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - antagonists & inhibitors; Italy; prophylaxis; acute GvHD; therapy
• ISSN: 0268-3369; 1476-5365
• DOI: 10.1038/bmt.2008.57

GvHD remains a source of significant morbidity and mortality in the setting of allogeneic haematopoietic SCT. Improving outcomes in stem cell transplant recipients requires additional therapeutic modalities for GvHD, especially for patients who fail to respond to initial therapy with steroids. Moreover, while the absence of acute GvHD (aGvHD) is associated with a higher risk of relapse of the underlying malignant disease, severe aGvHD usually induces the occurrence of life-threatening complications such as severe infections. This article summarizes the current state of aGvHD prophylaxis and treatment.