Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a condition that occurs in people who have received stem cell or organ transplants.
GVHD occurs in both acute and chronic (long-term) forms. Signs and symptoms of acute GVHD include
In chronic GVHD, the symptoms and signs can include
- dry eyes,
- dry mouth,
- difficulty swallowing,
- hair loss,
- mouth pain,
- skin discoloration,
- fatigue,
- muscle and joint pain,
- loss of appetite, and
- weight loss, among other symptoms.
Causes of graft versus host disease (GVHD)
It is caused by a reaction in which immune cells present in donor tissue (the graft) attack the host's own tissues. GVHD is a complication after bone marrow transplantation (stem cell transplants) from both related and unrelated donors.
Other graft versus host disease symptoms and signs
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty Swallowing
- Dry Eyes
- Dry Mouth
- Fatigue
- Hair Loss
- Itchy Red Skin
- Liver Inflammation
- Loss of Appetite
- Mouth Pain
- Muscle and Joint Pain
- Nausea
- Rash
- Skin Discoloration
- Vomiting
- Weight Loss Among Other Symptoms
Main Article on Graft Versus Host Disease Symptoms and Signs
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Examples of Medications for Graft Versus Host Disease Symptoms and Signs
- daclizumab
- denileukin diftitox - injection, Ontak
- etanercept (Enbrel)
- infliximab (Remicade)
- lymphocyte immune globulin, anti-thymocyte globulin (rabbit) - inj, Thymoglobulin
- methylprednisolone
- mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept)
- mycophenolate mofetil hydrochloride - injection, Cellcept
- mycophenolate mofetil suspension - oral, Cellcept
- pentostatin - injection, Nipent
- prednisolone (Orapred, Pediapred)
- sirolimus - oral, Rapamune
- sirolimus solution - oral, Rapamune
- tacrolimus (Prograf, Astagraf XL, Envarsus XR)
- thalidomide (Thalomid)