Photopheresis of a less than 10-kg child with acute graft versus host disease accompanied with hyperbilirubinemia: A case report

Abstract

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a curative treatment for many hematologic malignancies with its most important side effect being graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Herein, we present a 3.5 year-old male with weight of 9.8 kg with acute GVHD (grade IV gastrointestinal and cutaneous) who did not respond to the first line therapies (corticosteroids). Thus, the patient was a candidate for extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP). Due to the hyperbilirubinemia, two sessions of ECP every week as well as one session of plasmapheresis 24 h before each ECP session were performed (Spectra™Optia® apheresis system). The procedures were performed successfully without any side effects and the GVHD manifestations of skin and GI responded perfectly to the treatment after 12 and 14 sessions of ECP, respectively. According to the results, it seems that ECP could be successfully performed in even less than 10-kg patients.