Complete heart block in association with graft-versus-host disease

• Published in: Bone marrow transplantation (Basingstoke) Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 85 - 88
• Main Authors: GILMAN, A. L, KOOY, N. W, ATKINS, D. L, BALLAS, Z, RUMELHART, S, HOLIDA, M, LEE, N, GOLDMAN, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing Group 1998
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Bone Marrow Transplantation - adverse effects; Bone marrow, stem cells transplantation. Graft versus host reaction; Graft vs Host Disease - complications; Heart Block - etiology; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Infant; Male; Medical sciences; Transfusions. Complications. Transfusion reactions. Cell and gene therapy; Human; Immunopathology; Arrhythmia; Complete; Related donor; Homograft; Cardiovascular disease; Graft versus host reaction; Male; Infant; Bundle branch block; Conduction disorder; Genetic disease; Case study; Treatment; Heart block; Heart disease; Bone marrow; Complication; Graft; Combined immune deficiency
• ISSN: 0268-3369; 1476-5365
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.bmt.1701038

An infant who received haploidentical BM for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) developed acute, reversible complete heart block in association with an exacerbation of GVHD. Respiratory distress and myocardial dysfunction were also seen with this and previous GVHD exacerbations. The patient had not received chemotherapy or radiation prior to BMT. The complete heart block resolved after 1 week of intensive immunosuppression. The association of complete heart block with GVHD is important because the heart block is potentially reversible with prompt, aggressive control of the GVHD.