Endoscopic Examination for Patients with Diarrhea after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Objective: Intestinal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) represents one of the most serious complications of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT). Endoscopic and histological proof is required due to the number of differential diagnoses manifesting as diarrhea. We investigated the safety of endoscopic biopsies, and the role of conducting biopsies and inspections of the terminalileum. Patients: Thirty two colonoscopic examinations and 29 biopsies were performed for 19 patients after allo-SCT in our institute between October 2011 and May 2015. Results: Endoscopic examinations and biopsies were performed safely under the policy of transfusing platelets for thrombocytopenia (<30 × 103/μL). For biopsied cases, the diagnostic consistency rate with endoscopic findings was 60%, with a tendency toward negative correlations with early examinations after diarrhea onset (25% for 0 - 1 days; 62.5% for later) or low-grade GVHD according to Freiburg criteria (41.2% for grade 1, 66.7% for grade 2, 100% for higher). The terminal ileum was inspected with colonoscopy in 13 cases. Endoscopic diagnoses of the ileum were provided in 11 cases and histological diagnoses in 9 cases. Diagnostic consistency for diagnosis of the terminal ileum between endoscopy and histology was 77.8%. Conclusion: Because endoscopic and histopathological findings do not always match, caution is required when focusing on endoscopic findings alone, as there is a risk of misdiagnosis. Extensive inspection of the terminal ileum with biopsy appears useful to identify otherwise undetected lesions. Our data thus support invasive endoscopic examinations for gastrointestinal complications, including ileac inspection and biopsies under appropriate management.