Incidence and Long-Term Prognosis of Cancer After Kidney Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Malignancy is an important cause of mortality in renal transplants recipients. The incidence of cancer is increased by immunosuppressive treatment and longer kidney graft survival. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, prognosis and survival of posttransplant malignancies: solid organ cancer (SOC), posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), and nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). METHODS: We retrospectively studied the development of cancers among kidney transplants patients in our hospital from January 1979 to January 2015. We analyzed demographic and clinical characteristics, risk factors, and patient survival after tumor diagnosis. RESULTS: We included 1450 kidney transplants recipients with a mean follow-up was 10 years; among them, 194 developed malignancies. The mean age at presentation was 59 ± 10 years. The SOC, PTLD, and NMSC incidences were 6.2%, 1.2%, and 6%, respectively. The most common tumors were kidney (16.6%), colon (11%), bladder (10%), breast (10%), prostate (10%), and lung (8.8%). The median times to development of a SOC, PTLD, and NMSC were 6.86 (range, 3.7-12), 4.43 (range, 1.8-5.7), and 8.19 (range, 3.8-12.2) years, respectively. Risk factors associated with developing SOC and PTLD were patient age (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; P < .001) and time posttransplant (OR, 1.05; P = .02), whereas for NMSC were to be male (OR, 3.61; P < .001), to take calcineurin inhibitors (OR, 2.17; P = .034), patient age (OR, 1.05; P < .001) and time posttransplant (OR, 1.15; P < .01). The mean survival time from the diagnosis of SOC, PTLD, and NMSC were 2.09 (range, 0.1-5.3), 0.22 (range, 0.05-1.9), and 7.68 (range, 3.9-10.5) years, respectively (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: SOC occurs more frequently than other malignancies among renal transplant patients. NMSC has better survival and prognosis. Older patients and prolonged graft function have a greater risk of developing malignancies.

Cumulative iron dose and resistance to erythropoietin.

INTRODUCTION: Optimizing anemia treatment in hemodialysis (HD) patients remains a priority worldwide as it has significant health and financial implications. Our aim was to evaluate in a large cohort of chronic HD patients in Fresenius Medical Care centers in Spain the value of cumulative iron (Fe) dose monitoring for the management of iron therapy in erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA)-treated patients, and the relationship between cumulative iron dose and risk of hospitalization. METHODS: Demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters from EuCliD(®) (European Clinical Dialysis Database) on 3,591 patients were recorded including ESA dose (UI/kg/week), erythropoietin resistance index (ERI) [U.I weekly/kg/gr hemoglobin (Hb)] and hospitalizations. Moreover the cumulative Fe dose (mg/kg of bodyweight) administered over the last 2 years was calculated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the main predictors of ESA resistance and risk of hospitalization. Patients belonging to the 4th quartile of ERI were defined as hypo-responders. RESULTS: The 2-year iron cumulative dose was significantly higher in the 4th quartile of ERI. In hypo-responders, 2-year cumulative iron dose was the only iron marker associated with ESA resistance. At case-mix adjusted multivariate analysis, 2-year iron cumulative dose was an independent predictor of hospitalization risk. DISCUSSION: In ESA-treated patients cumulative Fe dose could be a useful tool to monitor the appropriateness of Fe therapy and to prevent iron overload. To establish whether the associations between cumulative iron dose, ERI and hospitalization risk are causal or attributable to selection bias by indication, clinical trials are necessary.

Passenger Lymphocyte Syndrome After Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplantation: A Case Report of an Unusual Cause of Alloimmune Hemolytic Anemia.

BACKGROUND: Passenger lymphocyte syndrome (PLS) is a disease in which the donor's lymphocytes produce antibodies to the red blood cell antigens of the recipient, causing alloimmune hemolysis. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 39-year-old woman with stage V chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis secondary to poorly controlled diabetes mellitus type 1. She received a simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant from a cadaver donor. The donor was A- and the recipient was A+ without initial complications with normal renal and pancreatic function, and her hemoglobin (Hb) level was 10.2 g/dL at discharge. Four weeks later she was admitted with acute pyelonephritis of the renal graft, with a Hb level of 7.5 g/dL, creatinine level of 0.7 mg/dL, and glucose level of 80 mg/dL. The study of anemia showed direct polyspecific direct Coombs weakly positive (w/+), presenting 2 alloantibodies against the Rh system: anti-D, anti-E. We increased Prednisone dose to 1 mg/kg/d and then decreased it in a pattern. Eight days after discharge, without transfusion, her Hb level was 9.9 g/dL and then it normalized. CONCLUSIONS: PLS is a very rare condition and should be suspected in the first few weeks after transplantation. In our case anemia was probably due to a residual population of Rh-negative donor cells in the transplanted pancreas-kidney received. It is usually a sudden onset of hemolytic anemia in patients with a solid organ transplant and different Rh or ABO lower incompatibility.

Short-term evolution of renal transplant with grafts from donation after cardiac death: Type III Maastricht category.

BACKGROUND: Kidney transplantation from donors after cardiac death (Type III Maastricht category) is a therapeutic option for patients with terminal renal failure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present a cohort of 8 patients who received a kidney transplant from donors after cardiac death (DCD). We analyzed the analytical results for the first 6 months after transplantation. RESULTS: We included 8 cases of kidney transplants with organs from DCD (Type III Maastricht category). The mean age of donors was 58.40 ± 4.39 years and 3 (60%) were male. The mean creatinine (Cr) level prior to death was 1.10 ± 0.36 mg/dL. The mean age of recipients was 59.88 ± 10.58 years and 7 (87.5%) were male. Seven patients (87.5%) were on hemodialysis, whereas only 1 (12.5%) was on peritoneal dialysis. The median time on renal replacement therapy was 18 months (range, 2-76). Mean total warm ischemia time (WIT) was 24.88 ± 6.72 minutes, whereas the mean real WIT was 20.13 ± 4.51 minutes. The mean cold ischemia time (CIT) was 6 hours and 12 minutes ± 2 hours. Preimplantation biopsy showed acute tubular necrosis (extensive 40%). Tubular atrophy was mild in 100% of cases. After transplantation, 6 patients (75%) had delayed graft function requiring dialysis sessions whereas 2 patients (25%) did not require renal replacement therapy. Mean Cr level at 1, 3, and 6 months after transplantation was 2.37, 1.75, and 1.17 mg/dL, respectively. CONCLUSION: Kidney transplantation with grafts from donors after cardiac arrest Maastricht Type III evolves favorably in the short term. According to preliminary results, controlled asystole donation could be an effective alternative to transplantation.

Index high insulin resistance in pancreas-kidney transplantation contributes to poor long-term survival of the pancreas graft.

BACKGROUND: Pancreas-kidney transplantation (PKT) is the best therapeutic option for diabetic patients with end-stage renal failure. Peripheral insulin resistance and the percentage of remaining ß-cells in the PKT have been little studied in medical literature. METHODS: We analyzed PKT performed in our hospital from January 1992 to January 2014, with follow-up for 5 years. Metabolic values related to glycemic were studied, namely, proteinuria, peptide C, glucose, insulin, and glycosylated hemoglobin. We analyzed insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment [HOMA]-IR), the percentage of remaining ß-cells (HOMA-ß), and the influence of these variables on the glycemic profile and graft survival. RESULTS: In the study period, 156 simultaneous PKT were performed in our center. At 2 years posttransplantation, the median value of HOMA-IR kidney-pancreas was 4. We compared transplantation with lower HOMA-IR (<4) and higher HOMA-IR (>4). HOMA-ß (36 [26-67] vs 29 [14-42]; P = .04), glucose (86 [80-90] vs 81 [74-89]; P = .018), and body mass index (BMI; 24 [21-27] vs 21 [19-24]; P = .013) were greater in the group HOMA-IR>4 versus HOMA-IR<4 group, respectively, after 3 months. These differences in glycemic profile were maintained until the first year after transplantation. At 2 and 5 years of follow-up, the HOMA-IR>4 group showed higher glucose levels and greater BMI, but not differences in HOMA-ß. At 1 and 5 years posttransplantation, pancreatic graft survival in the HOMA-IR>4 group (82.9% vs 92.5%) was lower compared with the HOMA-IR<4 group (67% vs 87.5%; P = .016). CONCLUSIONS: PKT exhibit an altered glycemic profile in the posttransplantation follow-up associated with the percentage of remaining ß-cells and peripheral insulin resistance. PKT patients with peripheral insulin resistance showed decreased pancreatic graft survival.

Renal involvement in chronic graft-versus-host disease: a report of two cases.

We report details of renal involvement during the course of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) in two patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation as treatment for acute leukemia. In both cases, the clinical picture was primarily characterized by proteinuria without hypertension or renal failure. Electron microscopy of renal biopsy specimens revealed a similar pattern in the two cases with extensive coalescence of foot processes and intramembraneous deposition of electron-dense material. Our data suggest that the kidney may be a target organ in chronic GVHD.

Combined liver-kidney transplantation: survey of a single center in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Renal dysfunction is a common complication of advanced liver failure and liver transplantation. Since the introduction of the MELD criteria the proportion of patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and need for liver transplantation has increased. One alternative is the combined liver-kidney transplant (CLKT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of this type of transplant in our center. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed all combined simultaneous or sequential transplants from 1989 to 2012. We studied demographic and clinical variables. Survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: In the study period, 1,265 kidney and 1,050 liver transplantations were performed; 34 were CLKT (to 29 adults and 5 children); 13 of these were simultaneous and 12 sequential liver-kidney. We also carried out 4 triple liver-pancreas-kidney transplantations, 3 simultaneous and 1 sequential. The mean age was 44.1 ± 15 years, and 27 were male (93.1%); 9 (37.5%) were diabetic. The main causes of liver disease were viral (n = 11 [41.3%; hepatitis virus B, C, or both] and alcoholism (9 [31%]). The renal disease etiology was unknown in 16 (55.1%), IgA nephropathy in 2 (6.8%), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis in 2 (6.8%), and calcineurin inhibitor toxicity in 4 (13.6%). Transjugular renal biopsy was performed in 6 sequential transplants. Survival of patients who received a CLKT was excellent: 91%, 51%, and 40%, at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. No significant difference was found between sequential and simultaneous transplants (log rank 0.5). CONCLUSIONS: Our results of CLKT show results similar or superior to those of other series and are an alternative to consider in candidates for liver transplantation with chronic kidney disease. Transjugular biopsy is an alternative to study the etiology of renal disease in patients with hepatic dysfunction before or after liver transplantation.