Chronic graft versus host disease: a syndrome of disordered immunity

Abstract

A chronic, debilitating syndrome related to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) has been recognized in long-term survivors following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. In six of 20 marrow graft recipients who survived for more than one year after receiving a transplant, this complication developed; they were studied to better define the syndrome. There was no association between the sex of either donor or recipient, HLA type, blood group, conditioning regimen or marrow cell dose and subsequent development of chronic GVHD. All six patients had mild to moderate manifestations of acute GVHD following prompt engraftment. Chronic GVHD was characterized in each patient by progression to scleroderma-like skin involvement with hyperkeratosis, reticular hyperpigmentation, atrophy with ulceration and fibrosis with limitation of joint movement. A sicca syndrome was prominent in five patients. Four patients had idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis. Infectious complications were frequent, and DNA viral infections were prominent. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia was present in three patients, and one patient had antinuclear antibody (ANA). A spectrum of immune abnormalities was observed including hypergammaglobulinemia, immunoglobulin M (IgM) paraprotein, elevated circulating immune complexes, plasma cell hyperplasia, lymphocytotoxic antibodies and autoantibodies to autologous or donor lymphocytes. Despite clinical similarity to collagen vascular diseases, none of these patients had anti-DNA antibodies or antibodies to smooth muscle, thyroid or extractable nuclear antigens. In one patient, a skin graft from the marrow donor remained healthy despite progressive involvement in recipient skin, whereas unrelated skin grafts were rejected. Immunosuppressive therapy and plasmapheresis have not been effective. Four patients have died (median survival 458 days from transplantation). Chronic GVHD appears to be a syndrome of disordered immune regulation features of immunodeficiency and autoimmunity.