Tuberculosis Following Lung Transplantation. A 27-Year Spanish Multicenter Experience. Incidence, Presentation, Prevention and Treatment with Rifampicin / Tuberculosis tras trasplante de pulmón. Experiencia multicéntrica de 27 años en España. Incidencia, presentación, prevención y uso de rifampicina en el tratamiento

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for solid organ transplant recipients, particularly after lung transplant (LT). Our aim was to determine the impact of TB in LT patients in Spain, considering prevalence, clinical presentation, prevention and therapeutic management. In addition, differences in outcome between rifampicin (RIF) versus non-RIF containing regimens were analyzed. METHODS: Multicenter, observational retrospective study, including all cases of TB diagnosed in recipients after LT, in five pulmonary transplant units in Spain, between January 1990 and December 2017. RESULTS: Among 2962 LT recipients, 45 cases of TB were diagnosed, resulting in a prevalence of 1.52%. Most of them (88.89%) were diagnosed during the first year posttransplantation, 86.67% with pulmonary presentation. Screening for latent TB infection (LTBI) was done in 36 of the 45 patients and LTBI was detected pretransplant in 12 (33.33%). Less than half of the patients with disease (42.22%) received rifampicin (RIF). Lower probability of TB worsening was found in RIF-containing regimens (p = 0.049), as well as longer survival (p = 0.001). RIF use was not associated with an increased risk in rejection (p = 0.99), but doses of calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) had to be raised an average of 215%. CONCLUSIONS: Risk of TB after LT was lower in our series than previously reported. TB should be searched during the first year posttransplant in patients with TB risk factors. Pulmonary presentation was predominant. More sensitive algorithms for detecting LTBI before LT are crucial. It is reasonable to use RIF-containing regimens over non-RIF regimens based on the tendency toward better outcome in our series. RIF regimen requires close monitoring of CNI trough level for 2-3 weeks, until stability is achieved

ANTECEDENTES: La tuberculosis (TB) representa un reto diagnóstico y terapéutico para los receptores de trasplantes de órgano sólido, en particular tras un trasplante de pulmón (TP). Nuestro objetivo fue determinar el impacto de la TB en los pacientes con TP en España, tomando en consideración su prevalencia, presentación clínica, prevención y manejo terapéutico. Además, se analizaron las diferencias en los resultados finales entre los tratamientos que incluían rifampicina (RIF) frente a aquellos que no la incluían. MÉTODOS: Estudio multicéntrico, observacional y retrospectivo que incluía todos los casos de TB diagnosticados en pacientes receptores de TP, en 5 unidades de trasplante pulmonar en España, entre enero de 1990 y diciembre de 2017. RESULTADOS: Entre los 2.962 pacientes receptores de TP, se diagnosticaron 45 casos de TB, siendo esta una prevalencia del 1,52%. La mayoría (el 88,89%) se diagnosticaron durante el primer año postrasplante; el 86,67% de ellos fue con presentación pulmonar. Se realizó cribado en busca de infección tuberculosa latente (ITBL) en 36 de los 45 pacientes y se detectó ITBL pretrasplante en 12 de ellos (33,33%). Menos de la mitad de los pacientes con la enfermedad (42,22%) recibieron tratamiento con RIF. Se halló una menor probabilidad de empeoramiento de la TB en los tratamientos que incluían RIF (p = 0,049), así como mayor supervivencia (p = 0,001). El uso de RIF no se asoció a un aumento en el riesgo de rechazo (p = 0,99), pero fue necesario aumentar en una media del 215% las dosis de inhibidores de calcineurina (ICN). CONCLUSIONES: El riesgo de TB tras un TP fue menor en nuestra serie que lo referido previamente. Debería investigarse la TB durante el primer año postrasplante en aquellos pacientes con factores de riesgo para TB. La presentación pulmonar fue la predominante. Es crucial elaborar algoritmos con mayor sensibilidad para detectar ITBL antes del TP. Es razonable utilizar tratamientos que incluyan RIF frente a aquellos que no la incluyen basándonos en la tendencia a un resultado final más favorable en nuestra serie de casos. Los tratamientos con RIF requieren un seguimiento minucioso de los niveles de ICN durante 2-3 semanas hasta que se alcance una situación estable

Tuberculosis Following Lung Transplantation. A 27-Year Spanish Multicenter Experience. Incidence, Presentation, Prevention and Treatment with Rifampicin.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for solid organ transplant recipients, particularly after lung transplant (LT). Our aim was to determine the impact of TB in LT patients in Spain, considering prevalence, clinical presentation, prevention and therapeutic management. In addition, differences in outcome between rifampicin (RIF) versus non-RIF containing regimens were analyzed. METHODS: Multicenter, observational retrospective study, including all cases of TB diagnosed in recipients after LT, in five pulmonary transplant units in Spain, between January 1990 and December 2017. RESULTS: Among 2962 LT recipients, 45 cases of TB were diagnosed, resulting in a prevalence of 1.52%. Most of them (88.89%) were diagnosed during the first year posttransplantation, 86.67% with pulmonary presentation. Screening for latent TB infection (LTBI) was done in 36 of the 45 patients and LTBI was detected pretransplant in 12 (33.33%). Less than half of the patients with disease (42.22%) received rifampicin (RIF). Lower probability of TB worsening was found in RIF-containing regimens (p=0.049), as well as longer survival (p=0.001). RIF use was not associated with an increased risk in rejection (p=0.99), but doses of calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) had to be raised an average of 215%. CONCLUSIONS: Risk of TB after LT was lower in our series than previously reported. TB should be searched during the first year posttransplant in patients with TB risk factors. Pulmonary presentation was predominant. More sensitive algorithms for detecting LTBI before LT are crucial. It is reasonable to use RIF-containing regimens over non-RIF regimens based on the tendency toward better outcome in our series. RIF regimen requires close monitoring of CNI trough level for 2-3 weeks, until stability is achieved.