Audiological follow-up in transplant patients treated with calcineurin immunosuppressants "Calcineurin inhibitors and Ototoxicity" / Seguimiento audiológico en pacientes trasplantados en tratamiento con inmunosupresores inhibidores de calcineurina

BACKGROUND: Ototoxicity is a side effect of drugs and medications that usually leads to bilateral and symmetric sensorineural hearing loss that commonly affects the high-frequency range initially, with or preceded by tinnitus. Possible ototoxic side effects of calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressants have been suggested, but this remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate audiological changes in patients undergoing transplantation receiving immunosuppressive treatment with calcineurin inhibitors. METHODS: Prospective cohort study. Adult patients undergoing liver or kidney transplantation treated with calcineurin inhibitors were included. Pure-tone audiometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions, and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory questionnaire were completed at baseline, one, three, and six months after transplantation. Hearing thresholds were compared and correlated with plasma concentrations of calcineurin inhibitors. RESULTS: Seventeen patients were included, 59% males, with a median age of 54.7 years (29-68 years). Twelve patients underwent liver transplantation, four underwent kidney transplantation, and one patient underwent both. The medianfollow-up was 5.8 months (4-8 months). Significant pure-tone average shifts were observed in two patients. Both cases presented fluctuations in their hearing levels, which were not bilateral or symmetrical and affected the higher frequencies. All patients received tacrolimus within the therapeutic range during the follow-up period. Three different patients exceeded the expected range once; however, they were rapidly corrected and did not correlate with any changes in hearing. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that tacrolimus does not cause hearing loss when levels are within the therapeutic range for a follow-up period of six months post-transplantation.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La ototoxicidad corresponde a un efecto secundario a agentes terapéuticos que se manifiesta como hipoacusia sensorioneural bilateral simétrica de frecuencias agudas. Se postulan posibles efectos ototóxicos de los inmunosupresores inhibidores de la calcineurina, pero hasta la fecha es aún incierto. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los cambios audiológicos en pacientes trasplantados en tratamiento inmunosupresor con inhibidores de calcineurina. MATERIAL Y MÉTODO: Cohorte prospectiva. Se incluyeron pacientes adultos sometidos a trasplante hepático o renal tratados con inhibidores de calcineurina. Se realizó una evaluación otorrinolaringo-lógica pre-trasplante con audiometría tonal, emisiones otoacústicas por producto de distorsión y cuestionario Tinnitus Handicap Inventory. Se realizó una evaluación audiológica de seguimiento uno, tres y seis meses después del trasplante. Se compararon los umbrales auditivos antes y después del inicio del tratamiento inmunosupresor y se correlacionaron con las concentraciones plasmáticas de IC. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 17 pacientes, 59% hombres, con una mediana de edad de 54,7 años. La mediana de seguimiento fue 5,8 meses. Se observaron cambios en el promedio tonal puro en dos pacientes, los cuales no seguían un patrón audiométrico sugerente de ototoxicidad. Todos los pacientes recibieron Tacrolimus dentro del rango terapéutico durante el seguimiento. Tres pacientes diferentes excedieron el rango esperado una vez sin embargo, se corrigieron rápidamente y no se correlacionaron con cambios auditivos, puntaje de tinnitus o emisiones otoacústicas. DISCUSIÓN: Impresiona que Tacrolimus no se asocia a hipoacusia cuando los niveles están en rango terapéutico durante un período de seguimiento de seis meses post trasplante.

Impact of immunosuppression regimen on COVID-19 mortality in kidney transplant recipients: Analysis from a Colombian transplantation centers registry.

BACKGROUND: The impact of immunosuppression in solid organ transplant recipients with SARS-CoV-2 infection is unknown. The knowledge about the behavior of different immunosuppression schemes in clinical outcomes is scarce. This study aimed to determine the risk of death in kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19 under two different schemes of immunosuppression. METHODS: We describe our experience in kidney transplant recipients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in seven transplant centers during the first year of the pandemic before starting the vaccination programs in the city of Bogotá. Demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, immunosuppression schemes at presentation, and global treatment strategies were compared between recovered and dead patients; survival analysis was carried out between calcineurin inhibitors based regimen and free calcineurin inhibitors regimen. RESULTS: Among 165 confirmed cases, 28 died (17%); the risk factors for mortality identified in univariate analysis were age older than 60 years (p=.003) diabetes (p=.001), immunosuppression based on calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) (p=.025) and patients receiving steroids (p=.041). In multivariable analysis, hypoxemia (p=.000) and calcineurin inhibitors regimen (p=.002) were predictors of death. Survival analysis showed increased mortality risk in patients receiving CNI based immunosuppression regimen vs. CNI free regimens mortality rates were, respectively, 21.7% and 8.5% (p=.036). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the calcineurin inhibitors probably do not provide greater protection compared to calcineurin inhibitor free schemes being necessary to carry out analyzes that allow us to evaluate the outcomes with different immunosuppression schemes in solid organ transplant recipients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

[Immunosuppressive drugs and transplant protocols.] / Fármacos inmunosupresores y protocolos para el trasplante.

Kidney transplantation is the renal replacement therapy of choice in patients with end-stag ekidney disease. Immunosuppressive drugs are the main pillar of treatment in solid organ transplantation as they reduce rejection rates and increase graft survival. However, they can also cause significant side effects that can complicate transplant progression. The objective of this chapter is to outline the main characteristics of immunosuppressantsagents, their mechanisms of action and the side effects.

El tratamiento de elección en los pacientes con enfermedad renal avanzada es el trasplante renal. Los fármacos inmunosupresores constituyen el pilar fundamental de la terapia en el trasplante de órgano sólido, ya que permiten disminuir las tasas de rechazo y aumentar la supervivencia del injerto. Sin embargo, también pueden provocar efectos adversos que pueden complicar la evolución del trasplante. El objetivo de este capítulo es exponer las características de los principales inmunosupresores, sus mecanismos de acción y principales efectos secundarios.

Treatment of oral lichen planus. Systematic review and therapeutic guide. / Tratamiento del liquen plano oral. Revisión sistemática y protocolo de actuación.

In this systematic review, 55 structured articles on the therapeutic efficacy against pain and clinical signs of oral lichen planus (OLP) were analysed. The literature search was developed according to the criteria of the PRISMA system, selecting the tests performed using one of the following methodological designs: drug (active ingredient) vs. drug in different excipient or concentration, drug vs. different active principle, drug vs. phytotherapy and drug vs. treatment with phototherapy. Based on the results, an algorithm is proposed to guide the treatment of OLP in its atrophic and erosive clinical forms. The use of clobetasol propionate at 0.025-0.05% of topical application as the first therapeutic alternative is highlighted. Secondly, 0.1% tacrolimus and 1% pimecrolimus also formulated for its topical regimen. And finally, we address the use of systemic corticosteroids and the application of diode lasers.

Incidencia de enfermedad renal crónica y factores de riesgo para su desarrollo en pacientes postrasplante hepático en el Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá 2004-2008 / Incidence of chronic kidney disease and risk factors for patients who underwent liver transplantation at Fundación Santa Fe University Hospital from 2004 to 2008

Antecedentes: La enfermedad renal crónica (ERC) se desarrolla frecuentemente después de someter a pacientes a trasplante de órganos sólidos como hepático, cardíaco, pulmonar, intestino delgado, y se asocia con un aumento en la morbimortalidad, costos y deterioro de la calidad de vida del paciente. El desarrollo de enfermedad renal crónica es una complicación común en pacientes postrasplante hepático. Es definida como una tasa de filtración glomerular entre 60 y 29 ml/min/1,73 m² de área de superficie corporal en el postoperatorio. Múltiples factores contribuyen al riesgo de desarrollar ERC en este grupo de pacientes. Entre los más importantes se encuentran la función renal previa al trasplante, medida por la fórmula MDRD (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease), injuria renal aguda durante el perioperatorio, inmunosupresores como los inhibidores de calcineurina. Durante los primeros seis meses del trasplante es cuando ocurre el deterioro mas rápido de la función renal y en meses posteriores esta declina lentamente. Es importante determinar nuestra incidencia de falla renal crónica, el grado de severidad de esta según la clasificación y los factores de riesgo en pacientes de trasplante hepático. El objetivo de este estudio es determinar la incidencia de enfermedad renal crónica y los factores de riesgo para su desarrollo en pacientes postrasplante hepático en el Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá en el periodo comprendido entre enero del 2004 y noviembre de 2008. Materiales y métodos: Es un estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo. La población, fueron los pacientes llevados a trasplante hepático en el Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá entre enero 1 del 2004 y noviembre 11 del 2008, que tuvieran previo al trasplante una función renal normal, calculada por MDRD, excluyendo insuficiencia renal previa al trasplante y aquellos que requirieron trasplante combinado hígado-riñón. Resultados: De 79 pacientes incluidos en el estudio, 27 (34,2% IC 95% 23,9-45,7) presentaron falla renal al sexto mes de seguimiento con un MDRD de estadio 2. De los 27 pacientes que desarrollaron falla renal crónica postrasplante a los seis meses de seguimiento, 6 (22,2%) tenían diagnóstico de cirrosis por NASH; 5 (18,5%) tenían diagnóstico de hepatitis C. Los 27 pacientes que desarrollaron falla renal crónica al sexto mes de seguimiento, tenían un MDRD pretrasplante en promedio de 89,4 ml/min/m²/SC. La falla renal crónica postrasplante es una complicación que viene en ascenso y que se asocia a factores de riesgo pretrasplante y postrasplante, como son hipertensión arterial, diabetes mellitus, hepatitis C e inmunosupresión. Conclusiones: Podemos decir que existe una tendencia a que los pacientes con diagnóstico pretrasplante de cirrosis por NASH y hepatitis C desarrollen más falla renal crónica. La inmunosupresión en el postrasplante inmediato influye en el desarrollo de falla renal crónica; en nuestro trabajo se observa como ciclosporina A, en un gran porcentaje presente en los pacientes que desarrollaron falla renal crónica. Se necesitarán nuevos estudios para determinar asociación entre estos factores de riesgo y el desarrollo de falla renal crónica.

Background: Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) frequently develops in patients who undergo transplantation of solid organs such as livers, hearts, lungs, and small intestines. CRF increases morbidity and mortality rates, increases costs and results in deterioration in the quality of patients' lives. The development of CRF is a common complication in post-liver transplant patients. It is defined as a glomerular filtration rate between 29 and 60 ml/min/1.73 m² of body surface area during post-surgical procedures. Multiple factors contribute to the risk of developing CRF in this group of patients. The most important among these factors are renal function prior to transplantation as measured by MDRD formula (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease), acute perioperative renal failure, and immune-suppressors such as calcineurin inhibitors. During the first six months after transplantation renal function deteriorates rapidly, but declines slowly thereafter. It is important to determine our incidence of chronic renal failure, the degree of severity according to the classification and the risk factors in patients who underwent liver transplantation. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of chronic renal disease and the risk factors affecting post-liver transplant patients in the Fundación Santa Fe de Bogota University Hospital from January 2004 to November 2008. Materials and methods: This was a descriptive and retrospective study of a population of patients who had undergone liver transplantation in the Fundación Santa Fe de Bogota University Hospital between January 1, 2004 and November 11, 2008. These patients presented normal renal functions as measured by the MDRD formula. We excluded patients with previous renal insufficiency and combined liver-kidney transplantation patients. Results: 79 patients were included in the study. 27 (34.2% CI 95% 23.9 - 45.7) had developed Stage 2 MDRD renal failure by the 6th month of surveillance. 6 of the 27 patients (22.2%) presented cirrhosis resulting from NASH. 5 of the 27 (18.5%) presented hepatitis C. The 27 patients who developed chronic renal failure by the 6th month of surveillance presented an average MDRD score of 89.4 ml/min/m²/SC prior to transplantation. Chronic renal failure following transplantation is an increasingly common complication, associated with risk factors prior to and following transplantation. These factors include arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hepatitis C and immunosuppression. Conclusions: Patients with pre-transplantation diagnoses of cirrhosis resulting from NASH or of hepatitis have a tendency to develop chronic renal failure. Immunosuppression immediately after transplantation influences the development of chronic renal failure. In our study we observed high percentages of cyclosporine A in patients who developed chronic renal failure. New studies are needed to determine the association between these risk factors and the development of chronic renal failure.