Iron overload in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

Context: Patients who undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplant are at an increased risk of developing iron overload.

Objectives: To describe the effect of hepatic iron overload on hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients and to validate the utility of histologic scoring system of iron granules in the liver.

Design: Records of 154 post allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients were reviewed.

Frequent expression of C4d in hepatic graft-versus-host disease: potential clue for diagnosis and distinguishing acute and chronic form.

Background: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a common complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplant, is generally regarded to develop through cell-mediated immune response following activation of helper T cells. Since production of antibodies is also mediated by helper T cells, the role of humoral immunity in GVHD is questioned and has not yet been explored in clinical practice. We conducted a pilot study to evaluate the role of antibody production in hepatic H-GVHD and whether it can distinguish acute and chronic forms.