Author/Editor		Pintar, Tadeja; Pleskovič, A; Alessiani, M; Abbiati, Francesca; Milutinović, Aleksandra; Petrovič, D; Pogačnik, M; Zorc-Pleskovič, Ruda
Title		Skin biopsies predict acute graft-versus-host disease after small bowel transplantation in pigs
Type		članek
Source		Acta Vet Hung
Vol. and No.		Letnik 55, št. 4
Publication year		2007
Volume		str. 533-41
Language		eng
Abstract		Intestinal transplantation is being increasingly performed to treat patients with irreversible intestinal failure. The major cause of intestinal graft failure is graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) that represents a life-threatening complication after small bowel transplantation (Itx). The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of skin biopsy histological changes for acute GVHD after Itx in pigs. Thirty-four Large White pigs were divided into three groups: Group 1 with Itx only, Group 2 with Itx and donor bone marrow infusion (Itx BM) and Group 3 (control group - before the operation). Animals received tacrolimus-based immunosuppression from day 0 to day 30 postoperatively. Skin and small bowel biopsies were histologically assessed, analysed and classified from grade 1 to 4 on postoperative days 15, 30, 45 and 60. There was a strong correlation between the histological grading values of skin biopsy changes and the histological grading values of small bowel biopsy changes (Kendall's tau b is 0.855 for the Itx group and 0.730 for the Itx BM group). The significant correlation found between skin and small bowel histological changes suggests the prognostic value of skin biopsies after Itx. In conclusion, our findings emphasise the diagnostic and prognostic value of skin biopsy analysis for acute GVHD after Itx.
Descriptors		INTESTINE, SMALL GRAFT VS HOST DISEASE SKIN BIOPSY SWINE