Prevalence, type distribution and risk factors for oral HPV in Danish renal transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and type distribution of oral human papillomavirus (HPV) among renal transplant recipients (RTRs) and healthy controls and to examine risk factors for oral HPV among RTRs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During 2016-2017 we recruited 250 RTRs and 250 controls. Oral samples were tested for HPV DNA with INNO-LiPA HPV Genotyping Extra II. All participants answered a questionnaire on lifestyle and sexual behaviour, and characteristics of RTRs were obtained from medical files. We assessed prevalence and type distribution of oral HPV. Using logistic regression, the risk of oral HPV and risk factors for oral HPV among RTRs were estimated as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Overall, 30 RTRs (12.1%) and 26 controls (10.4%) were oral HPV positive (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 0.64-2.05). Female RTRs tended to have a higher oral HPV prevalence than controls (OR = 1.73; 95% CI: 0.63-4.77), while no difference was observed among men. HPV51 was the commonest genotype. Sexual behaviour tended to be associated with oral HPV among RTRs. CONCLUSIONS: There was no overall difference in oral HPV prevalence between RTRs and controls, but female RTRs tended to have a higher prevalence of oral HPV than controls.

Mannose-binding lectin genotypes and outcome in end-stage renal disease: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have high morbidity and mortality rates, with cardiovascular diseases and infections being the major causes of death. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) has been suggested to play a protective role in this regard. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible clinical association of MBL genotypes (MBL2) with outcome among patients on dialysis or with a functioning graft. Methods: A total of 98 patients with ESRD accepted for living-donor renal transplantation or on the waiting list for transplantation were included and prospectively followed for an average of 9 years (range 7.5-9.9). Medical records were evaluated regarding transplantation status, diabetes mellitus, vascular parameters and infections for all the patients. Cox regression models and logistic regression analysis were used for statistical analyses. The cohort was divided into two groups according to the MBL2 genotype (normal A/A versus variant A/O or O/O). Results: We found no evidence for an association between the MBL2 genotype and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular events or bacterial infections (pneumonia, urinary tract infection, fistula infection or other infections). Conclusion: In this cohort, the MBL2 genotype did not seem to be associated with any long-term clinical effects in ESRD patients on dialysis or with a functioning graft.

The impact of kidney transplantation on insulin sensitivity.

To investigate the impact of kidney transplantation (KTx) on insulin sensitivity affecting glucose metabolism. 9 nondiabetic patients awaiting living donor KTx were examined prior to transplantation with an oral glucose tolerance test and a 3-h hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp. The clamp was repeated 6 months after KTx. Nine age-, gender- and body mass index (BMI)-matched individuals with normal kidney function served as controls. Endogenous glucose production and glucose disappearance rate (N = 6) were measured in a subgroup of patients with corresponding controls. Results presented as mean [range]. Two patients had pretransplant prediabetes, whereas all others had normal glucose tolerance. After KTx, average glucose infusion rate to maintain euglycaemia during clamp declined significantly from 15.1 [9.1-23.7] to 9.8 [2.8-14.6] µmol/kg/min (P < 0.01) with 20.2 [9.9-33.7] µmol/kg/min in controls. Endogenous glucose production increased from 7.0 [4.8-8.5] to 9.4 [7.4-11.8] µmol/kg/min (P < 0.05) with 7.0 [-3.8 to 10.1] µmol/kg/min in controls. Glucose disappearance rate was unchanged (18.1 [12.9-24.5] vs. 17.1 [12.2-22.7] µmol/kg/min, NS) with 22.3 [14.6-34.3] in controls. In conclusion, insulin sensitivity is reduced 6 months after KTx and characterized mainly by impaired suppression of the endogenous glucose production.

Renal function three years after early conversion from a calcineurin inhibitor to everolimus: results from a randomized trial in kidney transplantation.

In a 36-month, open-label, multicenter trial, 202 kidney transplant recipients were randomized at week 7 post-transplant to convert to everolimus or remain on cyclosporine: 182 were analyzed to month 36 (92 everolimus, 90 controls). Mean (SD) change in measured GFR (mGFR) from randomization to month 36 was 1.3 (14.0) ml/min with everolimus versus -1.7 (15.4) ml/min in controls (P = 0.210). In patients who remained on treatment, mean mGFR improved from randomization to month 36 by 7.9 (11.5) ml/min with everolimus (n = 37) but decreased by 1.4 (14.7) ml/min in controls (n = 62) (P = 0.001). During months 12-36, death-censored graft survival was 100%, patient survival was 98.9% and 96.7% in the everolimus and control groups, respectively, and 13.0% and 11.1% of everolimus and control patients, respectively, experienced mild biopsy-proven acute rejection (BPAR). Protocol biopsies in a limited number of on-treatment patients showed similar interstitial fibrosis progression. Donor-specific antibodies were present at month 36 in 6.3% (2/32) and 18.0% (9/50) of on-treatment everolimus and control patients with available data (P = 0.281). During months 12-36, adverse events were comparable, but discontinuation was more frequent with everolimus (33.7% vs. 10.0%). Conversion from cyclosporine to everolimus at 7 weeks post-transplant was associated with a significant benefit in renal function at 3 years when everolimus was continued.

Low mannose-binding lectin serum levels are associated with reduced kidney graft survival.

Activation of the complement system is initiated by the alternative, the classical, or the lectin pathway. As the complement system is involved in the pathophysiology of graft rejection after kidney transplantation, we investigated the possible role of mannose-binding lectin in kidney transplantation and the influence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) immunization on this process. In a prospective study of 544 kidney transplant patients over a follow-up period of 5 years, low serum levels of this lectin at the time of transplantation were found to be significantly associated with decreased 5-year death-censored graft survival (hazard ratio 1.68). Subanalysis showed that this association was confined to non-HLA-immunized patients (hazard ratio 1.93). The strongest association was seen in non-HLA-immunized patients receiving a kidney from a deceased donor (hazard ratio 2.93). No significant association with mannose-binding lectin levels and graft survival were found in HLA-immunized patients. Variant MBL2 genotypes causing low mannose-binding lectin serum concentrations showed the same association pattern. Our findings demonstrate a clear protective role of mannose-binding lectin and thus innate immunity in maintaining kidney graft survival, but these are probably overruled by HLA immunization.

Low C4 gene copy numbers are associated with superior graft survival in patients transplanted with a deceased donor kidney.

Complement C4 is a central component of the classical and the lectin pathways of the complement system. The C4 protein exists as two isotypes C4A and C4B encoded by the C4A and C4B genes, both of which are found with varying copy numbers. Deposition of C4 has been implicated in kidney graft rejection, but a relationship between graft survival and serum C4 concentration as well as C4 genetic variation has not been established. We evaluated this using a prospective study design of 676 kidney transplant patients and 211 healthy individuals as controls. Increasing C4 gene copy numbers significantly correlated with the C4 serum concentration in both patients and controls. Patients with less than four total copies of C4 genes transplanted with a deceased donor kidney experienced a superior 5-year graft survival (hazard ratio 0.46, 95% confidence interval: 0.25-0.84). No significant association was observed in patients transplanted with a living donor. Thus, low C4 copy numbers are associated with increased kidney graft survival in patients receiving a kidney from a deceased donor. Hence, the degree of ischemia may influence the clinical impact of complement.