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We retrospectively examined the clinical characteristics, pathological features, and outcomes of BK viremia and nephropathy in a population of non‐renal solid organ transplant patients (NRSOT) referred for outpatient nephrology consultation over a period of 5 years. In the entire cohort of liver, heart, and lung transplant recipients referred to this clinic, 14% percent were found to have BK viremia with a median peak serum BK viral load of 35 500 copies/ml (range 250 to 21 100 000 copies/ml). BK viremia resolved in six of the seventeen patients (35%). Four out of five patients biopsied showed BK virus (BKV) nephropathy. Eleven out of seventeen patients with BK viremia developed advanced (stage 4 or 5) chronic kidney disease. Four patients developed rejection of their solid organ transplant within the first year post detection of BK viremia after immunosuppression reduction. We conclude that a multi‐center study is required to evaluate whether implementation of a systematic BK screening program would be effective in early detection and management of this problem in the NRSOT population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rocha PN, Plumb TJ, Miller SE, Howell DN, Smith SR. Risk factors for BK polyomavirus nephritis in renal allograft recipients. Clin Transplant 2004 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2004.00191.x © Blackwell Munksgaard, 2004 Recurrent episodes of acute rejection (AR) and/or the intense immunosuppression used for their treatment have been proposed as risk factors for BK nephritis (BKN; BK refers to the initials of the first patient from whom this polyomavirus was isolated). To further examine the relationship between AR and BKN, we analyzed all kidney transplants performed at our center between January 1999 and August 2001 (n = 286). After a mean follow-up of 737 ± 22 d, we identified nine cases of BKN (3.1%). The mean time to diagnosis of BKN was 326 ± 56 d. No patient with BKN had a prior history of AR. During the same period, 62 patients were diagnosed with AR (22%). The mean time to diagnosis of AR was 197 ± 40 d (p = 0.01 vs. time to diagnosis of BKN). Despite aggressive therapy with methylprednisolone and, in some cases, anti-lymphocyte antibody, none of these patients with AR developed BKN. We compared the baseline characteristics of patients in both groups and found that BKN patients were more likely to be white people (78 vs. 44%, p = 0.05) and male (89 vs. 53%, p = 0.04). Moreover, the mean tacrolimus (TAC) levels before diagnosis were higher in BKN than in AR patients (11.7 ± 0.5 vs. 6.5 ± 0.6 ng/mL, p < 0.001). In summary, our study shows that BKN often occurs in the absence of prior episodes of AR. In addition, our findings suggest that white males exposed to higher TAC levels are at greater risk of developing BKN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a relatively infrequent but devastating complication that occurs after solid-organ transplantation. Although the optimal treatment for this condition is unknown, rituximab, a murine/human chimeric monoclonal antibody, has shown promise in the treatment of PTLD. In this report, we define the incidence, clinical features at presentation, and response to treatment of all cases of PTLD observed at our institution over a 10-year period, including four patients who received treatment with rituximab. Methods: A review of all patients who underwent lung or heart-lung transplant at Duke University from 1992 to 2002 was performed (n = 400), and demographic and clinical outcome data were extracted. Results: PTLD was observed in 10 of 400 patients (2.5%). Patients who acquired PTLD were predominately > 55 years old (8 of 10 patients) and with a native disease of COPD (7 of 10 patients). Diagnosis of PTLD was made a median of 343 days after transplant. The type of transplant and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status prior to transplant did not appear to influence the risk for PTLD. Patients presented with thoracic organ involvement (7 of 10 patients), extrapulmonary disease (2 of 10 patients), or both (1 of 10 patients). Histologic subtypes included polymorphic B cell (n = 4), monomorphic B cell (n = 3), B cell without further classification (n = 2), and anaplastic T cell (n = 1). Only one patient responded to reduced immunosuppression alone. Patients treated with surgery or radiation (n = 2) or rituximab (n = 4) had favorable responses to therapy. Both patients treated with chemotherapy died related to complications of treatment and PTLD. Conclusions: Presentation and histologic appearance of PTLD varies considerably among lung transplant recipients. PTLD was more frequent among older patients with COPD, regardless of pretransplant EBV serology. Rituximab appears effective as a first-line therapy for PTLD, but additional studies are needed in order to define its efficacy and side effect profile in this population of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Acute humoral rejection (AHR) in kidney transplantation is associated with higher rates of allograft loss when compared with acute cellular rejection (ACR). Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) combined with plasmapheresis (PP) has been used recently in many centers. We report the incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcome of patients with AHR treated with IVIG and PP. All patients (n = 519) at our institution who underwent kidney transplantation between January 1999 and August 2003 were retrospectively analyzed and classified according to biopsy results into three groups: AHR, ACR, and no rejection. AHR was diagnosed in 23 patients (4.5%) and ACR in 75 patients (15%). Mean follow-up was 844 ± 23 days. Female sex, black race, and high panel-reactive antibody were risk factors for AHR. Most AHR patients (22 of 23) were treated with IVIG and PP. Two-year graft survival was numerically worse in patients with AHR versus ACR (78% vs. 85%, p = 0.5) but the difference was not statistically significant. Graft survival after AHR treated with IVIG and PP is much better than it has been historically. IVIG in combination with PP is an effective treatment for AHR. Graft survival in this setting is similar to graft survival in patients with ACR. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]