IVIG, Topical Prograf, T-cell Function Tests (Antigens and Mitogens)

WBC 12.0
Hemoglobin 11.3 - stable! Yeah!
Platelets 330K
Weight 13.2 kilo - gained some weight too


From the labs, he is doing pretty good. Dr. Dvorak is happy about his stable hemoglobin. He cannot say or not if the steroids are affecting the hemoglobin. His steroid does is so low, he thinks it is not affecting the hemoglobin.


He received IVIG and Zenopax today. Dr. Weinberg wants to keep him on IVIG, while Dr. Dvorak wants to take him off. They agreed to keep him on for a few more months.


His skin is still dry and bumpy, not smooth like a child's skin should be. The only smooth parts of his body are the bottoms of his feet and hands. Dr. Dvorak would like to put him on a topical Prograf (he takes oral Prograf). David's skin GVHD does not appear to be systemic, rather, targeting the skin. If we can do a topical Prograf, he would be less immuosuppressed. No definite decision was made so we will continue with oral Prograf.

Unfortunately, he did not have enough lymphocytes to complete the Lymphocyte Antigen Tests (Candida, PPD, and Tetanus). They could not tell if his immune system had the correct response to the antigens. He is too immunosuppressed.

However, two out of three Lymphocyte Mitogen test (phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), and pokeweed) came back normal. The ConA and Pokeweek came back normal. The PHA came back low.

We have the OK to go back to church!

We won't have much else to say until Aug 22. That's his next clinic visit.