Significance of oral examination in chronic graft-versus-host disease

J Oral Pathol Med. 1994 May;23(5):209-15. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0714.1994.tb01115.x.

Abstract

Fourteen patients who received allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) were examined 100 to 220 days after BMT. Ten out of 14 patients were diagnosed as having chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) in skin, liver, eyes and other organs. These cGVHD patients also had objective evidence of oral involvement. Subjective xerostomia was experienced by 7 cGVHD patients and decreased whole saliva flow was observed in 4 cGVHD patients. However, no patient had a history of parotid swelling or notable abnormality in parotid sialography. Labial salivary glands (LSG) or 9 cGVHD patients showed atrophy and/or destruction in association with diffusely infiltrating lymphocytes. The infiltrating lymphocytes were mainly CD3+ T cells with a predominance of CD8+ cells over CD4+ cells. Lichenoid lesions on the oral mucosa were also observed in 5 cGVHD patients. Thus, thus study indicated that oral examination, including LSG biopsy, is useful in the diagnosis of cGVHD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / adverse effects
  • CD4-CD8 Ratio
  • Chronic Disease
  • Female
  • Graft vs Host Disease / diagnosis*
  • Graft vs Host Disease / etiology
  • Humans
  • Lichenoid Eruptions
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mouth Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Mouth Diseases / etiology
  • Mouth Mucosa / pathology
  • Xerostomia / diagnosis*