Costs of Treatment of Acute Antibody-Mediated Rejection in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) remains challenging in kidney transplant recipients. It may negatively impact the graft survival, and its treatment is associated to relatively high expenses. The aim of our study was to assess the costs of treatment of acute AMR in the Polish settings. METHODS: A total of 11 kidney transplant recipients with acute AMR diagnosed between September 2016 and August 2019 and treated in our center were included. Direct costs of inpatient and outpatient care in the first year after AMR diagnosis from the perspective of a transplant center were retrospectively calculated. RESULTS: The costs of treatment of acute AMR were considerably high, with a mean 1-month cost of treatment 12,718 PLN (∼€2925; ∼3307 US dollars). That means that costs of management of kidney transplant recipients with acute AMR are almost 2-fold higher than hemodialysis. Intravenous immunoglobulin was responsible for the majority (55%) of costs. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of acute AMR increases the costs of post-kidney transplant care in involved patients. Therefore, efforts should be made to minimize the risk for acute AMR. Despite its potential clinical benefits, management of acute AMR is even more expensive than dialysis. Therefore, further cost-effectiveness analyses are needed to justify the spending and to establish the best treatment regimens.

miRNA-16 as a predictive factor for intracranial aneurysms in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

INTRODUCTION: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common genetic renal disorder. It leads to multiple extra-renal complications, with intracranial aneurysms (IA) among the most serious. Biological markers could become tools in identifying patients at risk of an IA. MicroRNAs 16 (miR-16) and 25 (miR-25) have been proposed as being markers of IAs in the general population. In the current study, we attempted to discover if they may also be considered markers of IAs in ADPKD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 64 renal transplant recipients with ADPKD were included. After magnetic resonance angiography of the brain, they were divided into a case group (IA+, n = 13) and a control group (IA-, n = 51). Expression of miRNAs in plasma was analysed by qRT-PCR. RESULTS: The expression of miR-16 was higher in the control (IA-) group. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of miR-25 expression. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: MicroRNA-16 is a potential marker of IAs in renal transplant recipients with ADPKD. It may become a tool to identify patients who should undergo screening for an IA.

Costs of Post-Renal Transplant Care in the Final Period of Graft Function.

INTRODUCTION: Except for benefits in survival and quality of life, renal transplantation is considered a method that is cheaper compared to alternative modalities of renal replacement therapy; it is thought that, after the first post-transplant year, costs of care decrease and then remain relatively low. However, over time, health problems accumulate in transplant recipients, which may be connected to increased costs of care. In this study, we attempted to verify whether costs of care actually remain low until the graft loss. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study included 20 renal transplant recipients with grafts functioning at least 5 years post transplant who were managed in our transplant center and who lost their transplants in 2017 or 2018. Costs of post-renal transplant care in consecutive years post transplant were retrospectively assessed in these cases. Direct costs of inpatient as well as outpatient care, from the perspective of a transplant center, were considered. RESULTS: This study included 8 (40%) men and 12 (60%) women. A significant increase in costs of care was observed in the final period of graft function at least in the year of graft loss. It was observed both in those who lost the transplant because of the graft failure and in those who died with a functioning graft. However, despite this increase, mean costs of post-transplant care in the last 6 years of graft function remained lower compared to hemodialysis. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the increase in costs of post-renal transplant care observed in the final period of graft function, treatment with renal transplantation remains cheaper compared with hemodialysis.

Glucose and Lipid Metabolism Abnormalities among Patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most prevalent monogenic renal disease with a prevalence of 1:1,000 births and it is the 4th most common cause of dialysis-dependent end-stage renal disease (ESDR). Recent reports suggest an association between APDKD and metabolic derangements, particularly impaired glucose metabolism. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study we analyzed data obtained from case records of 189 patients with ADPKD, including kidney transplant recipients, managed in an outpatient department. RESULTS: The mean BMI was 25.4 ± 3.9; 25.25 before and 27.7 after transplan-tation. A fasting glucose level above 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) was observed in 60 patients (29%) - 27% without transplantation and 41% kidney transplant recipients. Diabetes mellitus was diagnosed in 17 patients (8.9%), including 3 (2.3%) without a history of transplantation and 14 (24.1%) after kidney transplantation (p < 0.01). We observed dyslipidemia in 30% and hyperuricemia in 53% of patients. CONCLUSION: Demonstrated metabolic abnormalities should be considered in maintenance of ADPKD patients, including kidney transplant recipients.

Costs of Long-Term Post-Transplantation Care in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND Solid organ transplantations lead to improvements in patient survival and patient quality of life, as well as health care system economic benefits. However, over time, health problems can accumulate post-transplantation. Therefore, we hypothesized that in the late post-transplantation period, the costs of patient care increase. MATERIAL AND METHODS We retrospectively calculated costs of patient care in 306 randomly selected kidney transplant recipients who had different follow-up time periods after kidney transplantation (between 1 year and 25 years). Direct costs of inpatient care as well as outpatient care, from the perspective of a transplant center, were considered. RESULTS The mean costs, as well as median costs of post-transplantation care were the highest in the first post-transplantation year. Afterwards, the mean costs and median costs decreased, without an increase in costs of care in the late post-transplantation periods. CONCLUSIONS From the perspective of a transplant center, costs of long-term post-kidney transplantation care did not increase in the late period, even as long as 25 years after transplantation. Our results confirmed that kidney transplantation is a modality of renal replacement therapy that can be associated with economic benefits even when considering long-term post-transplantation care.

Natural history of intracranial aneurysms in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a relatively frequent genetic disorder that is associated with increased prevalence of intracranial aneurysms (IAs). However, evidence on the natural history of IAs in ADPKD is suboptimal. That leads to difficulties in development of recommendations on surveillance on patients with IAs in their medical history, or the need for repeat imaging for IAs in those with a negative result of the initial screening. The aim of the article is to present our experience on the natural history of IAs in ADPKD patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-four ADPKD patients, managed at our outpatient department, with imaging for intracranial aneurysms performed at least twice, were included into present retrospective analysis. RESULTS: Among 8 patients with an IA in their medical history, no new IA was observed during 93 patient-years of follow-up. In 6 patients with untreated, unruptured IAs, IA growth was observed in 2 cases during 32 patient-years of follow-up. Finally, among 20 patients with a negative result of initial screening, 2 new IAs were noticed during 115 patient-years of follow-up, including 1 patient with a positive family history for an IA, and 1 patient without a family history. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations support repeat imaging for IAs in patients with ADPKD, positive family history of IA, and negative result of initial screening. Additionally, efforts should be made to develop clinical and/or laboratory risk factors for IAs development in ADPKD patients without family history of IA, which enable to identify patients who should undergo repeat imaging for IAs.

[Treatment results of temporal bone area paragangliomas]. / Wyniki leczenia przyzwojaków kosci skroniowej.

INTRODUCTION: Temporal bone paragangliomas are rare, benign neuroendocrine tumors. Depend on their location at skull base, they can extend intracranially and extracranially. They characterize by slowly growth and late nonspecific clinical manifestation. Location of tumor and anatomical condition require suitable operational technique and cause related complications. AIM: The aim of this study was analysis of surgical procedure and evaluation of treatment results of patients with paragangliomas of the temporal bone hospitalized in Department of Otolaryngology of Warsaw Medical University in years 2000-2010. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 34 cases of patients were retrospectively studied. Clinical data, level of tumor advancement according to Glasscock & Jackson and Fisch classification were analyzed. Intraoperative and imaging studies data were used to evaluate extent of lesions. Suitable operative approaches and outcome of treatment were also analyzed. CONCLUSION: In group of 34 patients 26 of them had monocentric and 8 multicentric neoplasms. Age ranged 15-73-years-old. Most common symptoms were: loss of hearing, tinnitus and headache. Preoperative embolization was carried in 10 cases. Most common surgery technique: tympanotomy and hypotympanotomy posterior and infratemporal fossa of Fisch type A approaches. Radiotherapy was used in 2 cases and surgery with radiation therapy in 7 cases. Most commonly observed complication in surgical treatment was intermittent paresis.

[Paragangliomas of the neck--a 10-year experience of the Department of Otolaryngology of Warsaw Medical University]. / Przyzwojaki szyi w materiale Kliniki Otolaryngologii Warszawskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego w latach 2001-2010.

UNLABELLED: Paragangliomas are rare neoplasms of neurological origin and account for 0.012% of all tumors. Only 10% of them have extraadrenal localization. Head and neck paragangliomas account for 0.33% neoplasms of that localization. Typically paragangliomas are benign tumors, but even 19% cases may have malignant potential. On the neck they are located typically closely to carotid artery bifurcation, jugular bulb and along the course of vagus nerve. Laryngeal localization is very rare. Nonspecific manifestation and wide spectrum of symptoms cause difficulty in diagnosis of paragangliomas. AIM: Presentation of the diagnostic process, performed treatment and obtained results of neck paragangliomas in the material of the Department of Otolaryngology of Warsaw Medical University in years 2001-2010. MATERIAL AND METHODS: There was performed retrospective analysis, based on the medical documentation of 14 patients with neck paragangliomas (9 women and 5 men), age range 25-62 years, hospitalized in the Department of Otolaryngology of Warsaw Medical University during the last 10 years. The date from the history, physical examination, radiological evaluation and the method of performed treatment and post-treatment complications were studied. RESULTS: Out of 14 patients with neck paragangliomas, there were 9 cases of isolated tumors and 5 cases of synchronic, multicentric neoplasms. The most common and single symptom was nonspecific neck mass. Doppler ultrasonography was adequate diagnostic tool in carotid artery paragangliomas. To diagnose mulicentric paraganglioma, vagal or laryngeal paraganglioma more thorough radiological examination was necessary, including computed tomography, magnetic resonance and angiography. All patients had performed surgical treatment. There were observed very good results in patients with isolated paragangiomas of carotid artery or larynx. Surgical management of multicentric and vagal paragangliomas was exposed to higher risk of cranial nerve paresis. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Paragangliomas are rare tumors of nonspecific clinical manifestation, making the early diagnosis very difficult. (2) Precise radiological evaluation is necessary taking into consideration quite high incidence of multicentric paragangliomas. (3) There is higher risk of cranial nerve paresis after surgical treatment of multicentric paragangliomas, neoplasms larger then 5 centimeters in diameter and vagal paragangliomas then in isolated carotid artery paragangliomas.