The differential diagnosis of inflammatory joint disease in maternal-fetal microchimerism

Abstract

This study aimed at making the differential diagnosis of joint disease in a case of genetic chimerism in a female multiparous donor from the Regional Blood Bank of Guarapuava-PR (Hemocentro Regional de Guarapuava-PR), who had had three pregnancies of male fetuses. The patient showed joint pain prior to the last donation. It was possible to identify fetal cells remaining in circulation 20 years after her last pregnancy. Laboratory tests for acute phase proteins revealed possible termination of immune tolerance to circulating fetal cells. Thus, a hypothesis of graft-versus-host disease was formulated to explain the joint disease manifested by the donor.

Keywords

• serviço de hemoterapia
• quimera
• gestações
• triagem
• seleção do doador