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Treatment of Graft‐Versus‐Host Disease After Liver Transplantation with Basiliximab Followed by Bowel Resection
Author(s) -
Sudhindran S.,
Taylor A.,
Delriviere L.,
Collins V. P.,
Liu L.,
Taylor C. J.,
Alexander G. J.,
Gimson A. E.,
Jamieson N. V.,
Watson C. J. E.,
Gibbs P.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
american journal of transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.89
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1600-6143
pISSN - 1600-6135
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-6143.2003.00108.x
Subject(s) - medicine , basiliximab , gastroenterology , transplantation , surgery , graft versus host disease , prednisolone , liver transplantation , immunology , tacrolimus
Graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is a serious complication with mortality rates over 80%. Two patients with established GVHD after OLT were treated with Basiliximab, a chimeric murine human monoclonal antibody which binds to the alpha‐chain of interleukin‐2 receptor (IL‐2R). Two males, aged 45 and 56 years, presented after OLT with a clinical picture consistent with GVHD. Quantitative measurements of recipient peripheral blood donor lymphocyte chimerism were carried out by flow cytometric analysis, and showed peak chimerism levels of 5% and 8%, respectively. Treatment comprised 3 doses of 1 g methyl prednisolone followed by 2 doses of 20 mg of Basiliximab. In both, treatment resulted in complete disappearance of macro‐chimerism in blood. There was resolution of skin rash by day 7; however, diarrhea persisted. White cell scan showed increased uptake in the terminal ileum and small‐bowel resection was performed in both patients. One patient is alive and well 36 months after OLT. The other patient had resolution of GVHD, but died of recurrent hepatitis C 1 year after OLT. The combination of immunological and surgical treatment for GVHD following solid organ transplantation has not previously been described.