THE PARANASAL SINUSES OF PATIENTS WITH ACUTE GRAFT-VERSUS-HOST DISEASE

PURPOSE: To determine whether patients who have acute graft-versus-hos t disease (AGVHD), are more likely to have radiographically abnormal p aranasal sinuses after bone marrow transplantation than patients witho ut AGVHD. METHODS: This retrospective case-control study population co mprised 45 adult allogeneic or matched unrelated donor patients who un derwent bone marrow transplantation. Twenty-eight patients had AGVHD, and 17 patients did not. All patients had paranasal sinus imaging with either CT or plain films for evaluation of possible sinusitis after b one marrow transplantation. The severity of radiographic changes was m easured with an objective scoring system based on mucosal findings. RE SULTS: An odds ratio revealed no association between AGVHD and the pre sence of radiographically abnormal sinuses. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of AGVHD should not complicate the radiographic evaluation of acute si nusitis after bone marrow transplantation.