Question

"A nurse is assessing a client 1 week after a successful bone marrow transplant. The client reports peeling of skin on her hands and feet. The nurse should recognize this desquamation as an indication of which of the following complications? A. Failure to engraft B. Veno-occlusive disease C. Graft-versus-host disease D. Pancytopenia"

Answer 1

Desquamation of skin observed post bone marrow transplant is indicative of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which manifests when donor T cells attack the recipient's tissues.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should recognize peeling of the skin on the hands and feet, or desquamation, as an indication of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). This condition is a common complication after a bone marrow transplant when the donor immune cells, particularly the T cells present in the transplanted bone marrow, recognize the recipient's tissues as foreign and initiate an immune attack. GVHD can manifest with various symptoms, a skin rash being one of the acute signs, and may progress to affect other organs such as the liver and gastrointestinal tract if not treated effectively.