An immunological syndrome featuring transverse myelitis, Evans syndrome and pulmonary infiltrates after unrelated bone marrow transplant in a patient with severe aplastic anemia

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2000 Dec;26(11):1225-8. doi: 10.1038/sj.bmt.1702677.

Abstract

A patient with severe aplastic anemia underwent a matched unrelated bone marrow transplant, following which he developed a complex autoimmune syndrome. This featured transverse myelitis, immune mediated Coombs positive hemolytic anemia and immune thrombocytopenia (Evans syndrome), pulmonary infiltrates, eosinophilia, muscle pains and cramps and lichenoid dermatitis all of which may represent manifestations of graft-versus-host disease as they showed response to immunosuppression. Thus, although immune-mediated cytopenias after an allogeneic bone marrow transplant are rare, they should be considered as a possible cause of cytopenia in post-transplant patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anemia, Aplastic / therapy*
  • Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / etiology*
  • Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / immunology
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / immunology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / etiology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / immunology
  • Humans
  • Lung / pathology
  • Male
  • Myelitis / etiology*
  • Myelitis / immunology
  • Pulmonary Eosinophilia / etiology
  • Pulmonary Eosinophilia / immunology
  • Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / etiology*
  • Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / immunology
  • Syndrome