Ocular manifestations of graft-vs-host disease

Abstract

In patients who have graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) after bone marrow transplantation, ocular involvement occurs in approximately 60% of cases. Among 13 such GVHD patients, the most frequent ocular manifestations included keratoconjunctivitis sicca, cicatricial lagophthalmos, and sterile conjunctivitis and uveitis. The severe ocular complications of persistent corneal epithelial defects and both noninfected and infected stromal ulceration were related to the concomitant dry-eye condition and could be managed by conventional therapy including topical lubricants and antibiotics, punctal occlusion, bandage soft contact lenses, tarsorrhaphy, tissue adhesive, conjunctival flap, and conjunctival homograft. Postmortem and surgical tissues from four patients revealed conjunctival and corneal epithelial thinning and keratinization, lacrimal inspissation without inflammatory infiltration, and diffuse choroiditis. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca in GVHD patients might be a combined result of drug toxicity effects and GVHD. The frequent and potentially severe ocular problems in these patients suggest that close ophthalmic monitoring is mandatory in bone marrow transplant recipients.