CMV-Specific Cell-Mediated Immunity Predicts a High Level of CMV Replication After Prophylaxis Withdrawal in Lung Transplant Recipients

Monitoring CMV-specific Cell-mediated immunity (CMV-CMI) has been shown to be useful predicting late-onset CMV infection in different solid organ transplants, but few data has been reported after Lung Transplantation (LT). CMV-CMI against two major CMV antigens (IE-1, pp65) was evaluated in 60 seropositive LT at 6-month prophylaxis withdrawal. LT with late-onset CMV infection showed significantly lower (IE-1)CMV-CMI than patients who did not (p=0.045), being more evident in patients developing high viral loads (p=0.010). Notably, (IE-1)CMV-CMI independently predicted high first late-onset viral replication (OR 4.358, 1.043-18.215).CMV-specific CMI may be a useful new immune tool guiding CMV preventive strategies after LT.