Objective: To investigate the efficacy of chimeric anti-CD(25) monoclonal antibody (basiliximab) on acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in patients following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Methods: Thirty-six patients who were suffered from acute GVHD from March 2005 to July 2007 were studied. All of them were treated with steroid first and got no response, then began basiliximab therapy.
Results: Thirty of 36 patients showed response to basiliximab therapy including 25 complete responses and 5 partial responses. The efficacy was associated with the degree of GVHD and the source of donor.
Conclusion: Patients suffered from steroid-resistant acute GVHD can be successfully treated with basiliximab.