Multiple-target Therapy for Posttransplant Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis.

Background: There is no consensus on the ideal strategy to treat posttransplant focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. The multiple-target therapy, which consisted of high-dose intravenous cyclosporine, prednisone, and plasmapheresis, showed favorable results. Methods: This single-center, prospective study sought to evaluate the multiple-target therapy in an independent cohort of patients. Results: Thirteen patients with posttransplant focal segmental glomerulosclerosis received multiple-target therapy. Complete remission was achieved in 2 patients (15.4%), and partial remission in another 2 patients (15.4%). Four patients (30.7%) did not show remission, and 5 patients (38%) lost the graft because of posttransplant focal segmental glomerulosclerosis during the 12-mo follow-up. Premature discontinuation of treatment occurred in 10 patients (77%), all associated with infectious adverse events. Cytomegalovirus was the most common complication, and preemptive therapy was used instead of prophylaxis. Conclusions: In this cohort of patients, the efficacy of the multiple-target therapy was poor and limited by the high incidence of infectious adverse events.

Collaborative Brazilian pediatric renal transplant registry (CoBrazPed-RTx): A report from 2004 to 2018.

The Brazilian collaborative registry for pediatric renal transplantation began in 2004 as a multicenter initiative aimed at analyzing, reporting, and disseminating the results of pediatric renal transplantation in Brazil. Data from all pediatric renal transplants performed from January 2004 to May 2018 at the 13 participating centers were analyzed. A total of 2744 pediatric renal transplants were performed in the thirteen participating centers. The median age at transplantation was 12.2 years, with the majority being male recipients (56%). The main underlying diseases were CAKUT (40.5%) and glomerulopathy (28%). 1981 (72%) of the grafts were from deceased donors (DD). Graft survival at one year (censored by death) was 94% in the live donor group (LD) and 91% in the DD group (log-rank test P < 0.01). The patient's survival at one and 5 years was 97% and 95% for the LD group and 96% and 93% for the DD group (log-rank test P = 0.02). The graft loss rate was 19% (n = 517), more frequently caused by vascular thrombosis (n = 102) and chronic graft nephropathy (n = 90). DD recipients had 1.6 (1.0-2.2) times greater chance of death and 1.5 (1.2-1.8) times greater chance of graft loss compared to LD recipients. The mortality rate was 5.4% (n = 148), mainly due to infection (n = 69) and cardiovascular disease (n = 28). The results of this collaborative pediatric renal transplant record are comparable to other international registries, although we still have a high infection rate as a cause of death.

The effect of anti-thymocyte globulin and everolimus on the kinetics of cytomegalovirus viral load in seropositive kidney transplant recipients without prophylaxis.

BACKGROUND: The use of mTOR inhibitors is associated with lower incidence of CMV infections but its effect on viral load has not been investigated. AIMS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: This post-hoc analysis included data from 273 CMV seropositive kidney transplant recipients randomized to receive anti-thymocyte globulin and everolimus (rAGT/TAC/EVR, n = 81), basiliximab and everolimus (BAS/TAC/EVR, n = 97) or basiliximab and mycophenolate (BAS/TAC/MPS, n = 95). All patients received tacrolimus (TAC) and corticosteroids. Preemptive CMV therapy based on weekly pp65 antigenemia test was used during the first 6 months. Blinded weekly CMV DNAemia was compared among the groups. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with undetectable CMV DNAemia (23.4% vs 56.7% vs 22.1%, P < .001) was higher in the BAS/TAC/EVR. The median number of study visits with positive CMV DNAemia (2.0 vs 0.0 vs 4.6, rATG/EVR vs BAS/MPS, P = .354; BAS/EVR vs BAS/MPS, P < .0001; rATG/EVR vs BAS/EVR, P < .001) were lower in the BAS/TAC/EVR. The proportion of patients with positive CMV DNAemia who were not treat for CMV infection/disease based on pp65 antigenemia was higher in rATG/TAC/EVR group (74.1% vs 36.1% vs 44.2%, P < .001) but mean CMV DNAemia was comparable to BAS/TAC/EVR and lower than BAS/TAC/MPS (8536 ± 15 899 vs 7975 ± 17 935 vs 16 965 ± 37 694 copies/mL, P < .05), respectively. The proportion of patients with CMV DNAemia below 5000 copies/mL was higher in patients receiving EVR (74.1% vs 83.5% vs 50.0%, P = .000), respectively. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: These data suggest that mTOR inhibitors reduce the incidence of CMV infection by limiting CMV viral replication.