[Graft-versus-host disease, a rare complication of lung transplantation]

Abstract

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a classic and frequent multisystemic complication of bone marrow allografts. It has also been reported after the transplantation of solid organs such as the liver or gut. Recent cases of GVHD have been reported after lung and heart-lung transplant. Skin, liver, gastrointestinal tract and bone marrow are the organ preferentially affected by GVHD. Corticosteroid is the first line treatment of GVHD. The prognosis reported in solid organ transplants is poor with infectious complications favoured by immunosuppressive therapy. In this article, we report a case of a patient with cystic fibrosis who presented a probable GVHD 18 months after a lung transplant and a literature review of similar cases.

Keywords: Chimerism; Chimérisme; Graft-versus-host disease; Lung transplantation; Maladie du greffon contre l’hôte; Transplantation pulmonaire.