Polymyositis as a manifestation of chronic graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) remains one of the major complications of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Although cGVHD has various manifestations in almost all organs, cases of cGVHD involving skeletal muscle are rare. We experienced a 26-year-old man with polymyositis with no other concurrent cGVHD after HLA-matched myeloablative transplantation for acute myelogenous leukemia. He had a history of acute and chronic GVHD. The patient complained of fever and myalgia 3 years after transplantation. The serum creatine kinase (CK, 2,223 IU/L) and aldolase (87.6 sigmaU/mL) were elevated. The muscle biopsy and electromyographic findings were consistent with myositis with necrosis. His condition improved dramatically with immunosuppressive therapy. Although muscle involvement, alone, in cGVHD is very rare, early diagnosis and proper treatment are still important.