Obstructive lung disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

We report the cases of 3 patients with marked dyspnea and an obstructive ventilation disorder associated with chronic graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. This disorder was characterized by recurrent pulmonary infections and colonization of the lower respiratory tract by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Two patients have shown rapidly progressive deterioration with death following due to respiratory failure. Intensive therapy with antibiotics, bronchodilators, high-dose steroids, and azathioprine was not effective in arresting the malignant course of this disorder.