A M Stevens1, K M Sullivan, J L Nelson. 1. Immunogenetics D2-100, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington, 1100 Fairview Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. astevens@fhcrc.org
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has similarities to some idiopathic autoimmune diseases, including polymyositis. To investigate the relationship between chronic GVHD and idiopathic myositis we conducted a detailed analysis of all cases of myositis occurring in a large series of HSCT patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all cases of myositis that developed in 7161 patients who underwent HSCT at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center between 1969 and 1999. RESULTS: Among 1859 individuals who developed chronic GVHD, 12 developed myositis. No patients developed myositis without chronic GVHD. Myositis was first identified between 7 and 55 months after transplantation. In histopathology, electromyography, laboratory values and response to immunosuppressive therapy, the cases resembled idiopathic polymyositis. Autoantibodies were found in eight cases. CONCLUSIONS: Myositis in the chronic GVHD population occurred with an incidence higher than expected by chance, suggesting that muscle may be a target tissue for chronic GVHD. Recent studies have implicated allogeneic cells persisting after maternal-fetal cell transfer in selected autoimmune diseases, including myositis. This report lends support to the possibility that both idiopathic myositis and chronic GVHD-related myositis could involve allo-autoimmune responses.
OBJECTIVE: Chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has similarities to some idiopathic autoimmune diseases, including polymyositis. To investigate the relationship between chronic GVHD and idiopathic myositis we conducted a detailed analysis of all cases of myositis occurring in a large series of HSCT patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all cases of myositis that developed in 7161 patients who underwent HSCT at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center between 1969 and 1999. RESULTS: Among 1859 individuals who developed chronic GVHD, 12 developed myositis. No patients developed myositis without chronic GVHD. Myositis was first identified between 7 and 55 months after transplantation. In histopathology, electromyography, laboratory values and response to immunosuppressive therapy, the cases resembled idiopathic polymyositis. Autoantibodies were found in eight cases. CONCLUSIONS:Myositis in the chronic GVHD population occurred with an incidence higher than expected by chance, suggesting that muscle may be a target tissue for chronic GVHD. Recent studies have implicated allogeneic cells persisting after maternal-fetal cell transfer in selected autoimmune diseases, including myositis. This report lends support to the possibility that both idiopathic myositis and chronic GVHD-related myositis could involve allo-autoimmune responses.
Authors: K M Williams; L W Ostrow; D M Loeb; T Chung; R D Cohn; A M Corse; A L Mammen; A R Chen Journal: Bone Marrow Transplant Date: 2011-09-19 Impact factor: 5.483
Authors: Helene Maillard-Lefebvre; Sandrine Morell-Dubois; Marc Lambert; Hilaire Charlanne; David Launay; Eric Hachulla; Ibrahim Yakoub-Agh; Pierre-Yves Hatron Journal: Clin Rheumatol Date: 2010-04 Impact factor: 2.980