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Veno‐occlusive disease of the liver after hemopoietic cell transplantation
Author(s) -
Carreras Enric
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
european journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1600-0609
pISSN - 0902-4441
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0609.2000.9r200.x
Subject(s) - defibrotide , medicine , hepatic veno occlusive disease , liver transplantation , jaundice , disease , transplantation , haematopoiesis , liver disease , intensive care medicine , surgery , hematopoietic stem cell transplantation , stem cell , biology , genetics
The clinical syndrome of veno‐occlusive disease (VOD) after hemopoietic cell transplantation is characterised by jaundice, painful liver enlargement, and fluid retention with weight gain. Cytoreductive therapy is presumably the primary cause of VOD, but several other agents (and a special susceptibility of the liver) can also play a role in its genesis. The risk of VOD can be predicted before BMT by analysing the presence or absence of the main risk factors. For the diagnosis of VOD most teams worldwide apply the clinical criteria developed by both the Seattle and Baltimore teams. Transjugular liver studies and some biological markers can help establish a correct differential diagnosis. In most cases clinical manifestations improve after several days, but 20–25% of patients could die of VOD. Data regarding whether or not pharmacological prophylactic measures are effective are contradictory. There a few therapeutical approaches directed towards the improvement of venular occlusion; recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and defibrotide can solve some cases of severe VOD.