Sclerodermatous chronic graft-versus-host disease. Analysis of seven cases

Sclerodermatous chronic graft-versus-host disease is a disabling complication after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from HLA-identical sibling donors. Only a few series of patients have been reported and the dermatologic features have never been extensively described.

The purpose of the study was to describe clinical and biologic features of chronic sclerodermatous graft-versus-host disease and to compare them with scleroderma.

We reviewed 196 patients grafted between April 1973 and July 1987 with survival times sufficient to be at risk of chronic graft-versus-host disease. Seven had the sclerodermatous form.

Most patients had disseminated sclerosis of the trunk and the proximal portions of the limbs. In two cases, atrophy of the skin was predominant, corresponding with a severe clinical evolution. Periorbital pigmentation was observed as an initial manifestation in three cases. Visceral manifestations resembled those observed in scleroderma but histologic and immunologic studies demonstrated clear differences. Response to therapy was variable.

Chronic sclerodermatous graft-versus-host disease may realize two different patterns. Major atrophy is associated with a more severe progression.