Preemptive therapy in the prevention of cytomegalovirus disease in high- and low-risk heart transplant recipients

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection remains a major complication in recipients of solid organ transplantation. Based on available evidence, most centers are committed to an aggressive strategy, especially in high-risk patients, consisting of the use of universal prophylaxis in the posttransplantation period of maximum risk (3 months). In seropositive recipients there is no ideal model for prevention, although there is more acceptance in the international community for preemptive therapy. This paper shows the results obtained after analysis of a cohort of 86 patients undergoing heart transplantation in 2005-2011 at the Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Seville. The 86 patients followed a strategy of preemptive therapy for both high- and low-risk recipients based on the use of antivirals for a variable period of ∼3 weeks when rising antigenemia was detected, determined by polymerase chain reaction above a set threshold. The incidence of CMV disease in our cohort was 4.6%. There are no data available from randomized clinical trials to establish which of the 2 strategies is more effective and safer in these patients, although there is a little experience with preemptive therapy in high-risk patients. Given our positive results and considering the adverse effects of antiviral prophylaxis derivatives, together with the development of resistance and the economic cost, we suggest an individualized prevention strategy at each center.