Early conversion to belatacept-based immunosuppression regimen promotes improved long-term renal graft function in kidney transplant recipients

BackgroundBelatacept has been demonstrated as an effective alternative immunosuppressant in kidney transplant recipients. This study focuses on outcomes of early and late conversion to Belatacept-based immunosuppression after kidney transplant.Materials and methodsThis retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database included all adult kidney transplants patients at SUNY Upstate Medical Hospital from 1 January 2014 to 30 December 2022. Early conversion was defined as all conversions done at <6 months after kidney transplantation, and late conversion to belatacept was defined as conversion at >6 months after kidney transplantation.ResultsOut of 61 patients included in this study, 33 patients (54%) were in the early conversion group, and 28 patients (46%) were in the late conversion group. The mean eGFR in the early conversion group was 26.73 ± 16.26 ml/min/1.73 m2 before conversion to belatacept, which improved to 45.3 ± 21.01 ml/min/1.73 m2 at one-year post-conversion (p = 0.0006). Furthermore, eGFR changes in the late conversion group were insignificant, with 46.30 ± 15.65 ml/min/1.73 m2 before conversion to belatacept, and 44.76 ± 22.91 ml/min/1.73 m2 after one year of follow-up (p = 0.72). All four biopsy-proven allograft rejections in the early conversion group were acute T-cell-mediated rejections (ATMR). In the late conversion group, out of three biopsy-proven rejections, one was chronic antibody-mediated rejection (CAMR), one was ATMR, and one was mixed ATMR/CAMR. All four patients with ATMR rejection received mycophenolic acid (MPA) as part of their immunosuppressive regimen, and none received tacrolimus. The one-year post-conversion allograft survival rate in early and late conversion groups was 100%. However, the one-year post-conversion patient survival rate was 90.9% in the early conversion group and 100% in the late conversion group (P = 0.11).ConclusionsEarly post-transplant conversion to belatacept can improve the eGFR more meaningful when compared to late conversion. Patients who receive belatacept and MPA rather than tacrolimus may have increased rates of T-cell-mediated rejection.     

Post renal transplant Castleman's disease resolved after graft nephrectomy: a case report

Angiofollicular lymphoid hyperplasia (Castleman's disease) is a lymphoproliferative process thought to be mediated by overexpression of II interleukin-6. Castleman's disease has two variants: Castleman's disease has two variants: Hyaline vascular type and plasma cell variant (multicentric Castleman's disease). The hyaline vascular type tends to be localized, and the plasma cell variant shows more systematic signs and carriers a worse clinical prognosis. Castleman's disease is associated with B-cell lymphoma, Kaposi sarcoma, Human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8), and Epstein-Barr virus. Castleman's disease have been described thrice post kidney transplant. In this report, we document the course of a renal recipient who developed the plasma cell variant of Castleman's disease at 16 months after failure of his allograft and return to dialysis. He displayed clinical resolution of this complication after graft nephrectomy. To our knowledge, this is the first case where the disease manifestations disappeared after graft removal. Our patient experienced chronic renal allograft rejection which may have driven all the systematic manifestations of multicentric castleman's disease and possibly reactivated a latent HHV-8 infection. In this case immunohistochemical testing for HHV-8 was not available to prove a role for this agent.     

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder of kidney: a case report and literature review

Objective To improve clinicians' understanding of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) after renal transplantation, a rare case of this disease was reported and literature was reviewed. Method The clinical data and pathological changes of the allograft, immunohistochenmistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) were analyzed. In addition, the relevant literature was reviewed. The clinicopathological features and differential diagnoses of PTLD were discussed. Result A renal mass (5.6 cm×5.4 cm), which was suggestive of primary renal malignancy, had been detected on the patient after received renal transplantation for a year and a half. Grossly, the mass was 7cm in diameter, with fleshy texture. Microscopically, the renal parenchyma was destructed and infiltrated with massive inflammatory cells, mostly lymphoid cells and occasionally Reed-Sternberg-like cells. IHC showed CD20 and CD79a were predominantly expressed in lymphoid cells. ISH showed diffused Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNAs (EBERs) positivity. The above findings were consistent with PTLD, polymorphic B cell hyperplasia (polymorphic PTLD), with concurrent Epstein-Barr virus infection. Conclusion Lymphoid infiltration in a renal allograft needs to be differentiated from T-cell rejection, viral infection, nephropyelitis, as well as PTLD. Early detection and proper management of PTLD may help improve the graft survival rate.     

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in a renal transplant recipient: a case report

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an acute demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system, mostly seen in children after viral or bacterial infection and vaccinations. Cases of ADEM, albeit rare, have been reported in renal transplant recipients. The pathophysiology of posttransplant ADEM remains unclear but has been hypothesized to be due to aberrant T-cell reactivity to myelin basic protein triggered by a bacterial or viral infection. We report an unusual case of a 34-year-old white female with ADEM developing 5 years after a living related renal transplant.     

Simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant after bilateral lung transplant for a recipient with cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited autosomal recessive disorder. Despite optimized therapy, the majority of affected individuals ultimately die of respiratory failure. Lung transplantation is the only available therapy that deals definitively with the end-stage pulmonary disease and has become the treatment of choice for some of these patients. As patients with CF are living longer, extrapulmonary manifestations may develop including pancreatic failure, which manifests as exocrine insufficiency and CF-related diabetes (CFRD). Both of these can be managed through pancreas transplantation. We have previously reported our series of three simultaneous lung and pancreas transplants in patients with CF, which were complicated by surgical issues for both the thoracic and abdominal portions, rejection and resistant infections with disappointing long-term survival. Based on these results, a sequential approach was adopted: first, the thoracic transplant; and second, once the patient has recovered, the abdominal transplants. This is the first reported case of pancreas and kidney transplantation performed after a lung transplant in a patient with CF. It demonstrates a successful approach to treating CF with a lung transplant, and in an effort to improve the patient's long-term outcome, treating CFRD and pancreatic enzyme insufficiency, with a subsequent pancreas transplant.     

Rapidly growing orf in a renal transplant recipient: favourable outcome with reduction of immunosuppression and imiquimod

Orf is a viral skin infection due to a poxvirus. It manifests as a nodule of the hands that heals spontaneously within 3–4 weeks, but may be persisting and difficult to treat in immunocompromised patients. Very few cases have been reported in transplant patients; therefore, management is not established. We report a renal transplant recipient with a rapidly growing orf which regressed after application of imiquimod and a reduction in immunosuppression without damage on his renal function. This case suggests that a rapidly growing orf in transplant patients behaves as an opportunistic infection and therefore minimization should be considered along with a topical treatment.     

A case report: hepatic posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder in a non-liver transplant patient

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is the most common malignancy in children after solid organ transplantation. We present a patient, who developed Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related PTLD in the liver after renal transplantation. A 10-year-old EBV-seronegative boy with cystinosis underwent a living related preemptive renal transplantation. He received antiviral prophylaxis with valacyclovir. At 5.5 months posttransplantation he displayed a primary EBV infection with an high fever, hepatosplenomegaly, monocytosis, and positive EBV DNA levels. Two months there after, a hypoechoic nodular 20-mm lesion in the left lobe of liver was detected on abdominal ultrasonography, performed because of anorexia and weight loss. EBV-DNA copy number was 7820 copies per milliliter. Liver biopsy showed a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma that was compatible with PTLD. We stopped all immunosupressive agents other than prednisolone. Chemotherapy consisting of two courses of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone, and adriamycin was followed by rituximab. Within 2 months, the lesion resolved and within 18 months, he was free of disease.     

Orthotopic placement of a segmental pancreas graft for transplant: a case report

Garcia‐Roca R, Humar A, Sturdevant M, Kobayashi T, Dunn T, Kandaswamy R, Sutherland D. Orthotopic placement of a segmental pancreas graft for transplant: a case report.
Clin Transplant 2010: 24: 424–428. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Pancreas retransplantation has become more frequent and represents a technical challenge for surgeons. Knowledge of alternative surgical options could be useful in difficult cases. We present a case of brutal diabetes mellitus in a patient with severe vascular disease that underwent a third pancreas transplant. Difficulties in obtaining arterial inflow were solved utilizing the native splenic vessels, placing the graft in orthotopic position, and a combination of historical surgical techniques in pancreas transplantation; that is, segmental grafts and duct injection for exocrine management made transplantation successful.     

Grossly delayed graft function in a living related kidney transplant recipient: a case report

Delayed graft function is a potentially challenging problem especially in cadaveric kidney transplant recipients. It adversely impacts long-term graft survival. It is rarely seen in living kidney transplants. Recovery of graft function usually occurs within a month. The chances of recovery of graft function diminish with further prolongation of delayed function. In fact, recovery of graft function after 3 months has rarely been described, we report herein recovery of graft function after 132 days of nonfunction in a living related kidney transplant.     

Infected solitary renal cyst of the graft in a renal transplant recipient : a case report

A 59-year-old woman with end-stage renal disease of diabetic nephropathy who had been on maintenance hemodialisis for 4 years, underwent a living-unrelated renal transplantation 6 years ago. She was admitted to our hospital, because of a low grade fever and edema. Ultrasonography revealed the cyst with heterogeneity structure in the upper pole of the transplanted kidney. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a high-intensity cystic mass measuring 68×53 mm. As fever and laboratory data did not improve sufficiently by the treatment with antibiotics, echo-guided puncture and drainage were performed for the abnormal structure in the upper pole of the transplanted kidney. In the culture of the purulent aspirate drained from renal cyst, Escherichia coli was isolated. To our knowledge, this is the first report of infected renal cyst of the graft in a renal transplant recipient in the world.     

Lepromatous leprosy in a kidney transplant recipient: a case report

Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous disease of the skin and peripheral nerves caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Among mycobacterial infections, leprosy is rare in renal transplant recipients. Here, we report the manifestations of lepromatous leprosy in a 41-year-old renal transplant recipient. Before the renal transplant, the patient had recurrent bullous lesions on his extremities with no systemic complaints. He was on an immunosuppressive regimen that included prednisolone (1 mg/kg/d), cyclosporine (6 mg/kg), and mycophenolate mofetil (2000 mg/d), and had 2 serologically confirmed acute episodes of cytomegalovirus infection that responded favorably to intravenous ganciclovir. The density of his bullous skin lesions decreased after renal transplant. During his regular posttransplant visits, we noticed a decrease in his eyebrow hairs on their lateral margins bilaterally. Later, he developed generalized, symmetric, erythematous papules. With a positive acid-fast bacilli with Fite staining, the results of a skin biopsy showed diffuse foamy histiocyte infiltration in the dermis. These findings are compatible with lepromatous leprosy. After antileprosy therapy, no deterioration of renal allograft function or lepra reactions was noted in a 4-month follow-up. Clinicians should consider leprosy in the differential diagnosis of skin lesions in immunocompromised hosts, and in particular, solid organ transplant recipients in endemic areas.