Inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, abdominal pain and disseminated varicella-zoster virus infection: an unusual and fatal triad in a patient 13 months post Rituximab and autologous stem cell transplantation

We report a case of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection associated with severe abdominal pain, inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (ADH) secretion (SIADH) and death, 13 months post-autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). This unusual clinical triad has been reported twice in the setting of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, however it has not been reported after autologous transplantation and never so long after transplantation. We speculate as to why this occurred, as early recognition might have altered the clinical outcome.