Eczema-like cutaneous graft versus host disease treated by UV-B therapy ina two year old boy.

Introduction. Chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD) has rarely been repo rted in children. Optimal treatment should minimize infectious complication s and preserve the child's growth. We report a case of cutaneous GVHD in a two year-old boy, who presented an eczema-like eruption and responded well to broad band UV-B therapy. Case report. A two year-old boy with acute myeloblastic leukemia had a hete rologous bone marrow transplantation with a graft issued from an unrelated female donor. Three month later, he developed eczema-like lesions of the tr unk, arms and legs associated with diffuse alopecia, despite oral corticost eroids and cyclosporine treatment. Histologic findings were consistent with GVHD. Topical corticosteroids and broad band UV-B therapy were initiated, while oral corticosteroids and cyclosporine doses were tappered off. GVHD l esions cleared, allowing withdrawal of oral corticosteroids and cyclosporin e 3 and 12 months respectively after initiation of UV-B therapy. No relapse occurred 24 months after systemic treatment discontinuation and 12 months after broadband UV-B therapy was stopped. Conclusion. This observation suggests that broad band UV-B therapy is an ef fective treatment for eczema-like, cutaneous GVHD.