A patient who is a bone marrow transplant recipient develops a maculopapular rash on the palms of both hands and the soles of the feet. The patient complains of severe abdominal pain with bloody diarrhea. The nurse would suspect that the patient is experiencing which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms described are consistent with acute graft-versus-host disease, which can occur in bone marrow transplant recipients who receive donor tissue that recognizes the recipient’s tissues as foreign and attacks them. The rash on the hands and feet and abdominal pain with bloody diarrhea are classic symptoms of acute GVHD. Chronic tissue rejection typically develops more slowly and is not typically associated with skin involvement or abdominal pain. Acute tissue rejection and hyperacute tissue rejection are not associated with the symptoms described.

A Patient Who Is a Bone Marrow Transplant Recipient Develops