Effectiveness of Casirivimab-Imdevimab Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Among High-Risk Patients With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 B.1.617.2 (Delta Variant) Infection.

Background: Real-world data on the effectiveness of neutralizing casirivimab-imdevimab monoclonal antibody (Cas-Imd mAb) against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among high-risk patients may inform the response to future SARS-CoV-2 variants. Methods: This study covers an observational retrospective data analysis in Banner Health Care System sites, mainly in Arizona. During the study period, the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant was between 95% and 100%. Of 29 635 patients who tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) between 1 August 2021 and 30 October 2021, in the Banner Health Care System, the study cohort was split into 4213 adult patients who received Cas-Imd mAb (1200 mg) treatment compared to a PS-matched 4213 untreated patients. The primary outcomes were the incidence of all-cause hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and mortality within 30 days of Cas-Imd mAb administration or Delta variant infection. Results: Compared to the PS-matched untreated cohort, the Cas-Imd mAb cohort had significantly lower all-cause hospitalization (4.2% vs 17.6%; difference in percentages, -13.4 [95% confidence interval {CI}, -14.7 to -12.0]; P < .001), ICU admission (0.3% vs 2.8%; difference, -2.4 [95% CI, -3.0 to -1.9]; P < .001), and mortality (0.2% vs 2.0%; difference, -1.8 [95% CI, -2.3 to -1.3]; P < .001) within 30 days. The Cas-Imd mAb treatment was associated with lower rate of hospitalization (hazard ratio [HR], 0.22 [95% CI, .19-.26]; P < .001) and mortality (HR, 0.11 [95% CI, .06-.21]; P < .001). Conclusions: Cas-Imd mAb treatment was associated with a lower hospitalization rate, ICU admission, and mortality within 30 days among patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant.

Cognitive Function in Kidney Transplantation.

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW: Cognitive impairment is common in kidney transplant recipients and affects quality of life, graft survival, morbidity, and mortality. In this review article we discuss the epidemiology, diagnosis, pathophysiology and future directions for cognitive impairment in kidney transplantation. We describe the potential role of pre-transplant cognition, immunosuppression and peri-transplant factors in post -transplant cognitive impairment. RECENT FINDINGS: A majority of patients with kidney transplant have cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment affects both pre-transplant evaluation and post-transplant outcomes. Failure to identify patients with cognitive impairment can withhold appropriate care and timely intervention. SUMMARY: Cognitive impairment is common in kidney transplant and affects outcomes. Studies addressing modifiable risk factors and possible interventions to slow cognitive decline in patients with kidney disease are needed.

The histological spectrum of tubulo-reticular inclusion positive renal biopsies: a tertiary hospital experience and review of the literature.

AIM: To identify the underlying diseases with TRI-positive kidney biopsies, and describe the histological pattern and spectrum of TRI-positive kidney biopsies. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all patients' chart that underwent renal biopsy at King Saud University Medical City between 2012 and 2017 was done. Kidney biopsies that indicated a positive result for tubuloreticular inclusions (TRI's) on electron microscopy were reviewed and the underlying disease and histological pattern was extracted. RESULTS: Of 1,473 native kidney biopsies reviewed, 96 (6.5%) were TRI-positive. Of the 96 TRI-positive kidney biopsies, 87 (90.6%) were TRI-positive lupus nephritis (LN); of which 10 (11.5%) were Class V, 49 (56.3%) were active LN, and 28 (32.2%) were inactive LN. The underlying diseases of the nine non-LN TRI-positive cases included diabetic nephropathy, connective tissue disorders, immune complex mediated Glomerulonephritis (GN), acute thrombotic microangiopathy, rhabdomyolysis, and Wegener's disease. CONCLUSION: LN is a very common finding in TRI-positive kidney biopsies. Active LN and chronic LN are the more common classes of TRI-positive LN kidney biopsies, than pure membranous (Class V) LN. TRI positive kidney biopsies without LN are commonly found in diabetic nephropathy, connective tissue disorders and immune mediated GN's. This study highlights this finding in our patients cohort in opposition to what has been reported in the literature.

Hungry bone syndrome two weeks after starting cinacalcet: a call for caution.

Cinacalcet is an effective and safe alternative to parathyroidectomy in end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Hypocalcemia is a known complication of treatment that is usually readily reversible upon discontinuation of the drug. It rarely manifests severely and symptomatically requiring hospital admission. We present the case of a 55 year old man with severe, symptomatic and prolonged hypocalcemia that occurred 2 weeks after starting cinacalcet. Cinacalcet induced a state of pharmacological parathyroidectomy with subsequent hungry bone syndrome. Serum calcium returned to normal range after 4 weeks of stopping the drug while receiving high doses of elemental calcium and vitamin D receptor activation therapy (VDRA).

Risk-Adapted Approach to HLA-Matched Sibling Hematopoietic Cell Allografting: Impact of Adjusting Conditioning Intensity and Integrating Post-Transplant Therapeutic Interventions.

BACKGROUND: Optimizing conditioning and post-transplant intervention may reduce non-relapse mortality and relapse, improving survival after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used a risk-adapted intensity of busulfan at 130 mg/m(2)/day for either 2, 3, or 4 days, with a fixed dose of fludarabine (30 mg/m(2)/day for 5 days), and thymoglobulin (2.5 mg/kg/day for 2 days). Our algorithm was based on age, comorbiditie(s), and disease risk. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients with hematological malignancies (median age, 37 years; range, 16-65 years), received an allograft from human leukocyte antigen identical siblings. Post-transplant therapy was initiated between days 30 and 60 after allo-HCT. Twenty-five of 26 patients who were planned for post allo-HCT therapy received it (10 with myeloid malignancies received 5-azacytidine, 5 with FLT-3 ITD acute myeloid leukemia received sorafenib, 4 with Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia or chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast crisis received dasatinib, or dasatinib followed by imatinib, and 5 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia received intrathecal cytarabine). The remaining 27 patients (51%) did not receive post-transplant therapy because of lack of approval by third-party payers. After a median follow-up of 13 months (range, 2-57 months), 1-year non-relapse-mortality was 2%, and cumulative incidences of grade 2 to 4 acute graft-versus-host disease and all grades chronic graft-versus-host disease were 23% and 9%, respectively. The 2-year overall survival (95% vs. 61%; P = .04) and progression-free survival (81% vs. 53%; P = .05) were significantly better for patients in the post-transplant therapy group. CONCLUSION: This risk-adapted combined approach of selecting conditioning intensity and integrating post-transplant therapies results in lower non-relapse-mortality and encouraging improvement in survival. Our findings warrant confirmation in a large prospective multicenter trial.