Extra corporeal photochemotherapy in steroid refractory graft versus host disease: A review of guidelines and recommendations

• Published in: Transfusion and apheresis science Vol. 56; no. 3; pp. 376 - 384
• Main Authors: Mohammadi, Saeed, Malek Mohammadi, Ashraf, Norooznezhad, Amir Hossein, Heshmati, Farhad, Alimoghaddam, Kamran, Ghavamzadeh, Ardeshir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-06-2017
• Subjects: Extracorporeal photochemotherapy; Graft versus host disease; Graft vs Host Disease - therapy; Health Planning Guidelines; Health technology assessment; Humans; Photochemotherapy - methods; Steroid refractory; Extracorporeal photochemotherapy; Steroid refractory; Graft versus host disease
• ISSN: 1473-0502; 1878-1683
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transci.2017.01.006

Regardless of remarkable progresses in prevention and treatment approaches, graft versus host disease (GVHD) remains a major impediment for successful allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells transplantation (HSCT) and leads to morbidity and mortality in transplanted patients. Corticosteroids are the standard therapy for GVHD; however, a great number of patients will not respond sufficiently and others will be significantly affected by adverse effects of steroids. Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP), as one of the numerous second line therapies, through modulation of immune cells may improves GVHD affected organ function in steroid-refractory forms. Considering to widespread utilization of ECP as a therapeutic strategy, we performed review on current literature of ECP, regarding the treatment strategies, monitoring protocols and technical aspects in chronic and acute GVHD.