Which organ systems are commonly involved in acute graft-versus-host disease?

Which organ systems are commonly involved in acute graft-versus-host disease?

• A. Lungs, heart, and kidneys
• B. Skin only
• C. Skin, liver, and gut
• D. Brain and spinal cord

Answer: (C)

Acute graft-versus-host disease happens when donor immune cells attack the recipient’s tissues after an allogeneic transplant. The organs most commonly involved are the skin, liver, and gastrointestinal tract. You’ll often see a pruritic rash or erythroderma on the skin, elevated bilirubin and cholestatic liver enzymes in the liver, and diarrhea with abdominal cramping from gut involvement. These tissues are frequent targets because they present host antigens prominently to donor T cells early after transplant and have rapid turnover, making them susceptible to immune attack. While GVHD can affect other organs, the combination of skin, liver, and gut involvement is the classic, most characteristic pattern. Lungs, heart, and kidneys aren’t the typical early triad, and brain/spinal cord involvement is not a common target in acute GVHD.

Acute graft-versus-host disease happens when donor immune cells attack the recipient’s tissues after an allogeneic transplant. The organs most commonly involved are the skin, liver, and gastrointestinal tract. You’ll often see a pruritic rash or erythroderma on the skin, elevated bilirubin and cholestatic liver enzymes in the liver, and diarrhea with abdominal cramping from gut involvement. These tissues are frequent targets because they present host antigens prominently to donor T cells early after transplant and have rapid turnover, making them susceptible to immune attack. While GVHD can affect other organs, the combination of skin, liver, and gut involvement is the classic, most characteristic pattern. Lungs, heart, and kidneys aren’t the typical early triad, and brain/spinal cord involvement is not a common target in acute GVHD.