Influenza Vaccination in the Organ Transplant Recipient: Review and Summary Recommendations†

Influenza Vaccination in the Organ Transplant Recipient: Review and Summary Recommendations†:

Influenza virus causes a spectrum of illness in transplant recipients with a high rate of lower respiratory disease. Seasonal influenza vaccination is an important public health measure recommended for transplant recipients and their close contacts. Vaccine has been shown to be safe and generally well tolerated in both adult and pediatric transplant recipients. However, responses to vaccine are variable and are dependent on various factors including time from transplantation and specific immunosuppressive medication. Seasonal influenza vaccine has demonstrated safety and no conclusive evidence exists for a link between vaccination and allograft dysfunction.

Do wound complications or lymphoceles occur more often in solid organ transplant recipients on mTOR inhibitors? A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Do wound complications or lymphoceles occur more often in solid organ transplant recipients on mTOR inhibitors? A systematic review of randomized controlled trials:

Summary

mTOR inhibitors have been associated with wound complications and lymphoceles. We systematically reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to compare these outcomes for solid organ transplant recipients. Relevant medical databases were searched to identify RCTs in solid organ transplantation comparing mTOR inhibitors with an alternative therapy reporting on wound complications and/or lymphoceles. Methodological quality of RCTs was assessed. Pooled analyses were performed to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Thirty-seven RCTs in kidney, heart, simultaneous pancreas-kidney and liver transplantation were included.

Effect of Smoking on Kidney Transplant Outcomes: Analysis of the United States Renal Data System

Effect of Smoking on Kidney Transplant Outcomes: Analysis of the United States Renal Data System: Background. We investigated the effect of smoking on postkidney transplant outcomes in the United States Renal Data System.
Methods. In a retrospective cohort of 41,705 adult Medicare primary renal transplant recipients in the United States Renal Data System database transplanted from January 1, 2000, to June 30, 2006, and followed through October 31, 2006, we assessed Medicare claims for smoking. The association between renal allograft loss and death and smoking as a time-dependent variable was assessed with Cox nonproportional hazards regression.

Kidney Transplantation With Minimized Maintenance: Alemtuzumab Induction With Tacrolimus Monotherapy—An Open Label, Randomized Trial

Kidney Transplantation With Minimized Maintenance: Alemtuzumab Induction With Tacrolimus Monotherapy—An Open Label, Randomized Trial: Background. Immunosuppressive regimens for kidney transplantation which reduce the long-term burden of immunosuppression are attractive, but little data are available to judge the safety and efficacy of the different strategies used. We tested the hypothesis that the simple, cheap, regimen of alemtuzumab induction combined with tacrolimus monotherapy maintenance provided equivalent outcomes to the more commonly used combination of interleukin-2 receptor monoclonal antibody induction with tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil combination maintenance, both regimens using steroid withdrawal after 7 days.

Results of a Prospective Randomized Trial of Sirolimus Conversion in Kidney Transplant Recipients on Early Corticosteroid Withdrawal

Results of a Prospective Randomized Trial of Sirolimus Conversion in Kidney Transplant Recipients on Early Corticosteroid Withdrawal: Background. The use of calcineurin inhibitors is associated with chronic nephrotoxicity and lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR). As a result, one strategy of transplant immunosuppression is calcineurin inhibitor elimination.
Methods. The aim of this study was to determine the outcome of a prospective randomized trial of kidney transplant recipients receiving rapid corticosteroid withdrawal, tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) for 1 month followed by randomization to switch to sirolimus-MMF or to stay on tacrolimus-MMF. The primary outcome was the difference in measured GFR at 1 year using intention-to-treat analysis.

False-positive Aspergillus galactomannan assay in solid organ transplant recipients with histoplasmosis

False-positive Aspergillus galactomannan assay in solid organ transplant recipients with histoplasmosis:

Abstract:

Post-transplantation histoplasmosis may be acquired via inhalation, may result from endogenous reactivation, or may be derived from the allograft. The Histoplasma and Aspergillus enzyme-linked immunoassays are increasingly being relied upon for rapid diagnosis of fungal infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. We describe 4 cases of solid organ transplant recipients who had histoplasmosis and a falsely positive Aspergillus galactomannan (GM) obtained from the serum or bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid.