Eliminating Hepatitis C Virus From a Prevalent Kidney Transplant Recipient Population: A Single-Center Study in Belgium in the Direct-Acting Antivirals Era

BACKGROUND

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have revolutionized the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Although previous studies have reported positive results with DAAs after kidney transplantation (KT), their impact on the prevalence of HCV viremia (HCVv) in prevalent kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) remains ill defined.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the HCV status of all patients followed at Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium, outpatient KT clinic between January 2014 and December 2018. We collected the clinical features of KTRs treated with DAAs during this period and calculated the annual prevalence of HCVv over this period.

RESULTS

Out of 1451 KTRs, 22 (1.52%) had HCVv in 2014 to 2018. From 2014 to 2018, the annual prevalence of HCVv dropped from 1.97% to 0.43%, (P < .001). Fourteen KTRs were treated with DAAs a median of 197 months (range: 5-374) after KT, mostly (79%) in 2017 after reimbursement restrictions of DAAs for KTRs in Belgium were removed. DAA treatment was safe with a sustained virological response rate at 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12) of 93%. Two patients died 14 months (lymphoma, despite SVR12) and 7 months (hepatocarcinoma, no SVR12) after DAAs initiation, respectively. Among HCVv KTRs not treated with DAAs (n = 8), 2 lost their graft, 5 died, and 1 is initiating therapy. The current prevalence of HCVv in the cohort is 0.08%, with a single patient currently on treatment.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with DAAs led to a dramatic decrease of HCVv prevalence in this KTR cohort. DAA use was safe and effective. Elimination of HCV is possible at KT clinics.

The effect on early renal function of various dynamic preservation strategies in a preclinical pig ischemia-reperfusion autotransplant model

The aims of this study were to determine the most optimal timing to start machine perfusion during kidney preservation to improve early graft function and to evaluate the impact of temperature and oxygen supply during machine perfusion in a porcine ischemia-reperfusion autotransplant model. The left kidney of an approximately 40-kg female Belgian Landrace pig was exposed to 30 minutes of warm ischemia via vascular clamping and randomized to 1 of 6 study groups: (1) 22-hour static cold storage (SCS) (n = 6), (2) 22-hour hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) (n = 6), (3) 22-hour oxygenated HMP (n = 7), (4) 20-hour HMP plus 2-hour normothermic perfusion (NP) (n = 6), (5) 20-hour SCS plus 2-hour oxygenated HMP (n = 7), and (6) 20-hour SCS plus 2-hour NP (n = 6). Graft recovery measured by serum creatinine level was significantly faster for continuous HMP preservation strategies compared with SCS alone and for all end-ischemic strategies. The active oxygenated 22-hour HMP group demonstrated a significantly faster recovery from early graft function compared with the 22-hour nonactive oxygenated HMP group. Active oxygenation was also found to be an important modulator of a faster increase in renal flow during HMP preservation. Continuous oxygenated HMP applied from the time of kidney procurement until transplant might be the best preservation strategy to improve early graft function.

A Large Intraperitoneal Residual Volume Hampers Adequate Volumetric Assessment of Osmotic Conductance to Glucose

Background

In end-stage renal disease patients treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD), the osmotic conductance to glucose (OCG) represents the intrinsic ability of the membrane to transport water in response to a crystalloid osmotic gradient. A progressive loss of OCG in long-term PD patients indicates the development of fibrosis in the peritoneal interstitium, and helps identify patients at risk for encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis. The double mini-peritoneal equilibration test (PET) has been proposed as a simple method to assess OCG using the difference in initial ultrafiltration rates generated by 2 successive dwells using 1.36% and 3.86% glucose-based, 1-h PET. However, the presence of a large peritoneal residual volume (RV) may potentially interfere with the correct evaluation of drained volumes, limiting the reliability of OCG assessed by the double mini-PET.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed data from 53 peritoneal function tests in 35 consecutive PD patients starting PD at our center between March 2013 and March 2017. The test consisted of a uni-PET (double mini-PET combined with a 3.86%, 4-h PET) performed at PD start, then yearly. In addition to peritoneal solute transport rate and net ultrafiltration, the tests provided information about osmotic water transport (OCG, sodium sieving, and free-water transport) as well as the RV estimated from albumin dilution.

Results

Contrary to sodium sieving, net ultrafiltration, and free-water transport, OCG did not correlate with any of the other parameters of osmotic water transport. In multivariate regression analyses, the RV was identified as the only determinant of OCG, while it did not alter the robust association between sodium sieving/free-water transport and their respective determinants. Considering only baseline tests or the whole series of tests, the presence of a large intraperitoneal RV was associated with discrepant values between OCG and sodium sieving, and with an artificial increase in OCG.

Conclusions

A large RV leads to significant overestimation of OCG using the double mini-PET, potentially reducing the ability of OCG to identify patients with progressive fibrosis in the peritoneal interstitium. On the other hand, sieving of the dialysate sodium, a biochemical surrogate for OCG, is independent of the RV and may therefore be more reliable. A call for caution is warranted in patients with a large RV to avoid misinterpretation of OCG values derived from the double mini-PET.

Unusual presentations of enlarged parathyroid cysts: two case reports

INTRODUCTION

Parathyroid cysts are infrequently encountered and have a variable presentation pattern depending on their size, location and secreting character.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We report two cases of parathyroid cysts characterized by their uncommon clinical presentation.

RESULTS

In the first case the patient presented with a large cervical cystic mass without hypercalcemia, while in the second case, the patient experienced a hypercalcemic crisis associated with acute renal failure. The variable pattern of clinical manifestations is discussed.

CONCLUSION

Parathyroid cysts are a rare entity. Surgical resection is the key to therapy when hyperparathyroidism or local compression are identified.

Pharmacogenetic-based strategy using de novo tacrolimus once daily after kidney transplantation: prospective pilot study

Aim: The once daily tacrolimus formulation (Tac-OD) has been associated with better patient adherence and low variability in exposure. Patients carrying the CYP3A5*1 allele show accelerated clearance of Tac. Authors prospectively evaluate a simplified strategy for Tac-OD administration. Patients & methods: After grafting, 151 patients were divided into four groups and received a daily dose calculated according to CYP3A5 genotypes and unchanged for the first 3 days: CYP3A5*3/*3: 0.20 mg/kg/day, CYP3A5*3/*3: 0.25 mg/kg/day, CYP3A5*1/*3: 0.30 mg/kg/day and CYP3A5*1/*1: 0.35 mg/kg/day. The dose was adaptated on day 4 and remained unchanged a further three days and so on. Results: On day 3, median Cmin fell within the therapeutic range in all study groups. CYP3A5 expressors require significantly higher Tac-OD throughout the follow-up period to achieve a comparable Cmin. Conclusion: This simplified strategy does not hamper treatment efficacy.

Fourteen years of experience in uncontrolled organ donation after cardio-circulatory death

BACKGROUND

Since 1999, a protocol for uncontrolled donation after cardio-circulatory death (DCD) has been carried out in our institution. We aimed at evaluating those 14 years of local experience.

METHODS

We reviewed the charts of uncontrolled donors from 1999 till 2013. Potential donors with a no-flow period less than 30 minutes were considered. Kidneys were perfused by the use of a double balloon triple lumen catheter after at least a 2-minute period of no touch. We analyzed grafts outcome and warm and cold ischemia times.

RESULTS

Thirty-nine procedures were initiated: 19 were aborted because of family refusal (n = 7), medical reasons (n = 7), or canulation failures (n = 5) and 20 harvesting procedures were completed. Transplantation was considered for 35 kidneys (cold storage [n = 5] and hypothermic preservation system [n = 30]). The causes of withdrawal from transplantation were mostly macroscopic lesions (poor perfusion, macroscopic parenchyma or vascular lesions, or infectious risk). We transplanted 22 kidneys locally and 3 were shipped to another Eurotransplant center. Mean donor age was 40 ± 13 years. Among the 20 donors, 13 came from the emergency unit and 7 from the intensive care unit. Mean no-flow time for out-hospital management was 8.7 ± 3.6 minutes. Mean time of cardiopulmonary resuscitation was 71 ± 46 minutes. Mean cold ischemia time was 19 ± 5 hours. Primary nonfunction and delayed graft function occurred in 1 and 12 cases (4.5% and 54%), respectively. Graft survival was 86% at 1 year. Causes of graft loss during the entire follow-up were graft rejection (n = 3), ischemically damaged kidney (n = 2), and recurrence of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (n = 1).

CONCLUSION

In our experience, uncontrolled donors represent a valuable source of kidney grafts, with a prognosis of graft function and survival similar to the literature. To increase the number of available DCD organs, new techniques, such as the use of Normothermic ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (NECMO), as well as improvement of recruitment of out of hospital potential donors have to be considered.

Presentation and management of mycotic pseudoaneurysm after kidney transplantation

Pseudoaneurysms (PAs) developing at the site of vascular anastomosis after organ transplantation are a rare but serious complication. We report a series of 3 cases of PA observed in a single center over a period of 18 years. The mode of presentation was acute bleeding in 2 cases. In the third patient, who underwent combined kidney and pancreas transplantation, the PA on the renal graft was discovered by chance. Graft removal associated with iliac artery ligation and extra-anatomic femoro-femoral bypass represents the standard treatment. However, interposition of a venous homograft may allow preservation of inferior limb perfusion and possibly graft salvage.

Risk factors and surgical management of anastomotic biliary complications after pediatric liver transplantation

Biliary complications (BCs) still remain the Achilles heel of liver transplantation (LT) with an overall incidence of 10% to 35% in pediatric series. We hypothesized that (1) the use of alternative techniques (reduced size, split, and living donor grafts) in pediatric LT may contribute to an increased incidence of BCs, and (2) surgery as a first treatment option for anastomotic BCs could allow a definitive cure for the majority of these patients. Four hundred twenty-nine primary pediatric LT procedures, including 88, 91, 47, and 203 whole, reduced size, split, and living donor grafts, respectively, that were performed between July 1993 and November 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic and surgical variables were analyzed, and their respective impact on BCs was studied with univariate and multivariate analyses. The modalities of BC management were also reviewed. The 1- and 5-year patient survival rates were 94% and 90%, 89% and 85%, 94% and 89%, and 98% and 94% for whole, reduced size, split, and living donor liver grafts, respectively. The overall incidence of BCs was 23% (n = 98). Sixty were anastomotic complications [47 strictures (78%) and 13 fistulas (22%)]. The graft type was not found to be an independent risk factor for the development of BCs. According to a multivariate analysis, only hepatic artery thrombosis and acute rejection increased the risk of anastomotic BCs (P < 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively). Anastomotic BCs were managed primarily with surgical repair in 59 of 60 cases with a primary patency rate of 80% (n = 47). These results suggest that (1) most of the BCs were anastomotic complications not influenced by the type of graft, and (2) the surgical management of anastomotic BCs may constitute the first and best therapeutic option.

Septuagenarian and octogenarian donors provide excellent liver grafts for transplantation

BACKGROUND

Wider utilization of liver grafts from donors ≥ 70 years old could substantially expand the organ pool, but their use remains limited by fear of poorer outcomes. We examined the results at our center of liver transplantation (OLT) using livers from donors ≥ 70 years old.

METHODS

From February 2003 to August 2010, we performed 450 OLT including 58 (13%) using donors ≥ 70 whose outcomes were compared with those using donors <70 years old.

RESULTS

Cerebrovascular causes of death predominated among donors ≥ 70 (85% vs 47% in donors <70; P < .001). In contrast, traumatic causes of death predominated among donors <70 (36% vs 14% in donors ≥ 70; P = .002). Unlike grafts from donors <70 years old, grafts from older individuals had no additional risk factors (steatosis, high sodium, or hemodynamic instability). Both groups were comparable for cold and warm ischemia times. No difference was noted in posttransplant peak transaminases, incidence of primary nonfunction, hepatic artery thrombosis, biliary strictures, or retransplantation rates between groups. The 1- and 5-year patient survivals were 88% and 82% in recipients of livers <70 versus 90% and 84% in those from ≥ 70 years old (P = .705). Recipients of older grafts, who were 6 years older than recipients of younger grafts (P < .001), tended to have a lower laboratory Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score (P = .074).

CONCLUSIONS

Short and mid-term survival following OLT using donors ≥ 70 yo can be excellent provided that there is adequate donor and recipient selection. Septuagenarians and octogenarians with cerebrovascular ischemic and bleeding accidents represent a large pool of potential donors whose wider use could substantially reduce mortality on the OLT waiting list.

Tacrolimus trough levels, rejection and renal impairment in liver transplantation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

We hypothesized that current trough concentrations of tacrolimus after liver transplantation are set too high, considering that clinical consequences of rejection are not severe while side effects are increased.We systematically reviewed 64 studies (32 randomized controlled trials and 32 observational studies) to determine how lower tacrolimus trough concentrations than currently recommended affect acute rejection rates and renal impairment. Among randomized trials the mean of tacrolimus trough concentration during the first month was positively correlated with renal impairment within 1 year (r = 0.73; p = 0.003), but not with acute rejection, either defined using protocol biopsies (r = -0.37; p = 0.32) or not (r = 0.11; p = 0.49). A meta-analysis of randomized trials directly comparing tacrolimus trough concentrations (five trials for acute rejection [n = 957] and two trials for renal impairment [n = 712]) showed that "reduced tacrolimus" trough concentrations (<10 ng/mL) within the first month after liver transplantation were associated with less renal impairment at 1 year (RR = 0.51 [0.38-0.69]), with no significant influence on acute rejection (RR = 0.92 [0.65-1.31]) compared to "conventional tacrolimus" trough levels (>10 ng/mL). Lower trough concentrations of tacrolimus (6-10 ng/mL during the first month) would be more appropriate after liver transplantation. Regulatory authorities and the pharmaceutical industry should allow changes of regulatory drug information.

The multicenter Belgian survey on liver transplantation for hepatocellular failure after bariatric surgery

The prevalence of obesity has grown dramatically over the last decades, with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis increasingly observed. Therapeutic options for morbid obesity include bariatric surgery. Fatal liver failure (LF) has been recorded after jejunoileal bypass (JIB) but is controversial after biliopancreatic diversion (BPD, Scopinaro operation). We performed a survey on the frequency of liver transplantation (LT) after bariatric surgery in Belgium. An enquiry was sent to all Belgian liver transplant centers to investigate the occurrence of subacute and chronic LF after bariatric surgery. After weight-reduction surgery, 10 patients in 3 Belgian transplant centers were listed for LT due to severe hepatocellular failure. Nine of them had undergone a Scopinaro operation and 1 a jejunoileal bypass. The median time to develop LF was 5 years. The patient with JIB developed chronic LF after 25 years. Seven patients were transplanted; two died awaiting a graft and one is still on the waiting list. After LT, 1 patient developed rapid reappearance of LF at 10 months, requiring retransplantation. Two recipients died after LT because of multiorgan failure shortly after transplantation. In another case, a de novo cancer was fatal at 6 years' follow-up. The remaining recipients were doing well. According to this survey, the BPD operation carries a potential risk of LF. However, because there were only 10 cases, we remain unaware of the actual incidence of Scopinaro operation-induced LF. We advise strict follow-up of liver function and timely dismantling of BPD.

Repetitive episodes of cryptogenic septicaemia in a patient with cirrhosis: a case of "heavy metal"

Endotipsitis or primary infection of a TIPS-stent, is an uncommon but possible life- threatening condition by its potential evolution to sepsis and death. Diagnosis should be suspected in patients with a TIPS-stent presenting with stent-dysfunction associated with fever or relapsing episodes of bacteremia/sepsis without any other alternative focus. A certain diagnosis is made by post-factum histopathological and/or microbiological examination of the TIPS-stent which is only possible after liver transplantation or at autopsy, whereas it can be highly suspected in case of repetitive positive blood-cultures without any other focus in a patient with a TIPS-stent. The microorganisms responsible for endotipsitis are most frequently of Gram-negative enteric origin. The regimen and duration of the treatment should be individualized and depends on multiple factors like the antibiotic sensitivity of the organism and the patients condition. In case of a fungal infection, longer treatment is recommended.