Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018133 (graft-versus-host disease)
 18,032 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Stem cell Transplantation-Associated Thrombotic Microangiopathy (TA-TMA) is an awful complication with high morbidity and mortality. The reported incidence varies from 0.5% to 75% due to the difficulty of diagnosis in these patients. They do not respond to plasma exchange and despite new treatments, such as defibrotide and rituximab, mortality rate ranges between 60% and 90%. Rheopheresis is a specific application of membrane differential filtration for extracorporeal hemorheotherapy that has been used in the diabetic foot syndrome, venous leg ulcer, pulmonary hypertension, sudden hearing loss, macula degeneration and peripheral arterial occlusive disease. The main therapeutic basis of Rheopheresis is the reduction of blood and plasma viscosity that results in improvements of microcirculation and blood flow. The physiopathologic mechanism associated with TA-TMA is the loss of endothelial cell integrity with hypercoagulability secondary to infections, immunosuppressive therapy and graft-versus-host disease. Because of this, we believe that treatment with Rheoapheresis may improve microcirculation and resolve TA-TMA. We report two patients diagnosed of severe TA-MA successfully treated with Rheopheresis using a selective fibrinogen adsorption system (Rheosorb) with a LIFE-18 apheresis unit (Miltenyi Biotec), an integrated plasma therapy instrument.
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PMID:Using rheopheresis for stem cell transplantation-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA). 2376 89

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) are the only curative therapies for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Once the patients have successfully undergone transplantation and engrafted, the hallmark of hemolytic anemia resolves, and normal hemoglobin levels are achieved. Some transplant protocols exclude patients with open wounds, including leg ulcers, because of infection risks associated with transplantation and long-term immunosuppression required to prevent graft-versus-host disease. Recalcitrant and recurrent leg ulcers are a serious complication of SCD and a determinant of morbidity. Here, we report the case of a 37-year-old man with sickle cell anemia and a chronic leg ulcer, who underwent PBSCT, engrafted successfully, and then had complete healing of his ulcer 16 months posttransplant.
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PMID:Sickle Cell Anemia and Comorbid Leg Ulcer Treated With Curative Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation. 2868 72