Facial premature ageing as a side-effect following bone marrow transplantation

Two female patients developed an acute graft versus host reaction with generalized erythema and subsequent desquamation after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Later, over a period of months both developed chronic graft versus host reactions with involvement of liver and lungs. Shortly after the diagnosis of the chronic graft versus host disease both patients developed severe elastosis of the facial skin. The pathogenetic linkage of the clinical picture, which resembles photodamage to graft versus host disease and autoimmunity is discussed.