Graft versus host disease as a complication after liver transplantation: A rare but serious association

The graft versus host disease after liver transplant is rare, with an incidence less than 1%, but with a high mortality (75-85%), especially due to infectious complications. It usually affects gastrointestinal tract, skin and blood system in the context of a normal liver graft function. There is no consensus on the most appropriate treatment: some articles support a reduction or even elimination of immunosuppressive drugs, while others published success with a dose increase.

We report a case of a 68 year-old liver transplant recipient with a graft retrieved from an ABO identical cadaveric donor. After an uneventful postoperative period, he was readmitted presenting these symptoms: skin lesions, diarrhea and kidney failure. After ruling out infectious causes or drug toxicity, skin, duodenum and colon biopsies demonstrated characteristic histological changes of graft versus host disease grade III. Initially, supportive treatment along with methylprednisolone bolus were administered with good response. However, as the doses of corticosteroids decreased, the patient worsened again, requiring basiliximab. In spite of that, the patient progressively worsened with hematological involvement and, finally, an alteration of liver function tests prior to decease. The autopsy showed CMV and Herpes virus superinfection.

We report a new case of graft-versus-host disease after liver transplantation with fatal evolution due to viral superinfection despite the employed measures.