Ruxolitinib for the treatment of steroid refractory pediatric chronic graft-versus-host disease

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) of the skin is a serious cause of long-term morbidity and mortality among patients who receive hematopoietic stem cell transplants. Systemic corticosteroids remain first-line treatment for cutaneous cGVHD; however, there is currently no consensus on second-line therapy for steroid-refractory disease. We herein present a case of a pediatric patient with severe cGVHD of the skin, nonresponsive to corticosteroids, who was successfully treated with a prolonged course of ruxolitinib with minimal side effects.

Automated summary

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) of the skin is a serious cause of long-term morbidity and mortality among patients who receive hematopoietic stem cell transplants. There is currently no consensus on second-line therapy for steroid-refractory disease. This case report presents successful treatment of a pediatric patient with severe cGVHD of the skin, nonresponsive to corticosteroids, using a prolonged course of ruxolitinib with minimal side effects.