Use of basiliximab in pediatric liver transplantation for Langerhans cell histiocytosis

This report describes a 16-month-old girl with multi-system Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), who developed end-stage liver disease despite intensive chemotherapy. She underwent a liver transplant at 28 months of age while receiving maintenance chemotherapy for bony lesions. In view of previous reports of a high incidence of acute cellular rejection and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) in children transplanted for LCH, basiliximab was added to the post-transplant immunosuppression regime of tacrolimus and prednisolone. Sixteen months post-transplant, she has had no episodes of acute rejection or PTLD and her LCH has remained in remission. Current literature regarding liver transplantation (LTx) for LCH and the use of basiliximab in pediatric LTx is reviewed.