Abstract

The diagnostic and clinical significance of granulomas in gastrointestinal (GI) biopsies from haematopoietic transplant patients remains disputed, especially following the proposal of cord colitis syndrome (CCS) as a new entity. The aim of the following study was to explore this controversy by identifying such biopsies with granulomas and detailing their clinicopathological associations. Twelve patients with granuloma-containing biopsies were identified from across three scenarios: prospectively during a GI pathologist's routine practice over a period of 5years; retrospectively from a cohort of transplant patients with clinically validated GI graft versus host disease (GVHD); and retrospectively from a cohort of patients who had received umbilical cord blood (UCB). Their clinicopathological assessments (which included unique long-term patient follow-up) showed that granulomas are only rarely seen across all GI biopsies from haematopoietic transplant patients, and may uncommonly constitute a histological feature of GI GVHD. Granulomas-and especially well-defined, non-cryptolytic ones-are more commonly present in GI biopsies from UCB recipients, but do not show any accompanying histological features that are different from those seen in granuloma-containing biopsies from other patient groups. Furthermore, the three UCB recipients with granuloma-containing biopsies were clinically diagnosed with GVHD rather than CCS. Finally, polymorphic post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) can present histologically as GI granulomatous inflammation that mimics Crohn's disease. Granulomas in GI biopsies of haematopoietic transplant patients may often indicate a treatable aetiology such as GVHD or PTLD. Granulomas are more commonly seen in GI biopsies from UCB recipients, but do not necessarily indicate a diagnosis of CCS.

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