Thymoglobulin induction decreases rejection in solitary pancreas transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Solitary pancreas transplants, both pancreas transplant alone (PTA) and pancreas after kidney (PAK), have higher rejection rates and lower graft survivals than simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplants (SPK). The aim of this study is to compare three different antibody induction regimens in solitary pancreas transplant recipients and to assess the role of surveillance pancreas biopsies in the management of these patients. METHODS: Solitary pancreas transplant recipients between 01/98 to 02/00 (n=29) received induction with either daclizumab (1 mg/kg on day 0, 7, 14), OKT 3 (5 mg/day x0-7), or thymoglobulin (1.5 mg/kg/day x0-10). Maintenance immunosuppression was similar for the three groups. All rejections were biopsy-proven either by surveillance/protocol or when clinically indicated. RESULTS: The 1-year graft survival was 89.3% overall and 91.7% in the thymoglobulin group. Thymoglobulin significantly decreased rejection in the first 6 months when compared with OKT3 or daclizumab (7.7 vs. 60 vs. 50%). Acute rejections were seen on surveillance biopsies in the absence of biochemical abnormalities in 40% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Thymoglobulin induction regimen led to a low incidence of acute rejection and a high rate of graft survival in solitary pancreas transplants. In addition, surveillance biopsies were useful in the detection of early acute rejection in the absence of biochemical abnormalities.

Improved diagnostic yield of endoscopic biliary brush cytology by digital image analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of digital image analysis (DIA) for distinguishing between benign and malignant strictures of the biliary tract. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our pathology databank was used to identify all biliary brush cytology specimens obtained during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography between June 1997 and June 1999. Corresponding medical records were reviewed to determine whether patients had benign or malignant strictures. Strictures were further classified into benign strictures with negative routine cytology, malignant strictures with negative routine cytology, and malignant strictures with positive routine cytology. Papanicolaou-stained smears of available brush cytology specimens were destained and then restained with Feulgen dye. Nuclear images were quantified for DNA content without knowledge of stricture type. DNA histograms were generated and ploidy results compared with the class of stricture. RESULTS: We analyzed 27 specimens from 69 confirmed benign or malignant strictures. Assuming that the presence of any aneuploid cells indicated malignancy, the sensitivity of DIA was 85%. Furthermore, aneuploid cells were detected by DIA in 13 of 16 specimens in which routine cytology was unrevealing. CONCLUSION: Ploidy assessment by DIA has potential to enhance the sensitivity of diagnosing malignant strictures compared with routine cytology alone.