Main autopsy findings in bone marrow transplant patients.

The autopsy findings in 24 cases (representing 17 males and seven females) that underwent bone marrow transplantation during the course of disease are reported. The mean age of the patients was 20.0 years, with individual ages ranging from 7 to 40 years. In 23 cases, serious infectious disease occurred. A patient frequently exhibited more than one type of infection. In total, there were seven mycotic, eight cytomegalovirus, and 15 bacterial infections. Twenty-three cases showed striking lung pathology, the most prevalent lesions being infectious diseases and those of diffuse alveolar damage, which was found in ten cases. Gastrointestinal tract pathology of differing types was observed in 13 cases. Necrotizing enterocolitis was observed in three of these cases. Three cases also displayed cholangiolar cholestasis, probably related to their terminal infectious disease. In only two cases could graft-vs-host disease be proved histologically.