National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Chronic graft versus host disease


Other Names:
Chronic GVHD
Categories:
Chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a complication that can occur after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant in which the newly transplanted donor cells attack the transplant recipient's body.[1] Symptoms may include skin rash, mouth sores, dry eyes, liver inflammation, development of scar tissue in the skin and joints, and damage to the lungs.[1][2] The exact cause of chronic GVHD is unknown.[2] It likely results from a complex immune-mediated interaction between the donor and recipient cells.[2][3] Chronic GVHD is treated with prednisone or other similar anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive medications.[1][2]  
Last updated: 2/21/2013

FDA-Approved Treatments

The medication(s) listed below have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as orphan products for treatment of this condition. Learn more orphan products.

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Chronic graft versus host disease. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Patient Registry

  • The Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease (CGVHD) Consortium is a team of doctors, nurses, research coordinators, and research labs throughout the U.S., working together to improve the lives of people with cutaneous sclerosis, bronchiolitis obliterans, late acute graft versus host disease, and chronic graft versus host disease through research. The CGVHD Research Consortium has a registry for patients who wish to be contacted about clinical research opportunities.

    For more information on the registry see: http://rarediseasesnetwork.epi.usf.edu/registry/index.htm

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Chronic graft versus host disease. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

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  1. Graft-versus-host disease. MedlinePlus. June 2012; http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001309.htm. Accessed 2/21/2013.
  2. Chronic Graft-versus-host disease. Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease Consortium. http://rarediseasesnetwork.epi.usf.edu/cGVHD/chronic/. Accessed 2/21/2013.
  3. Mandanas RA. Graft Versus Host Disease. Medscape Reference. December 2012; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/429037-overview. Accessed 2/21/2013.