Plasmapheresis Therapy in Kidney Transplant Rejection

A possibilistic-robust-fuzzy programming model for designing a game theory based blood supply chain network

This paper presents a bi-level blood supply chain network under uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak using a Stackelberg game theory technique. A new two-phase bi-level mixed-integer linear programming model is developed in which the total costs are minimized and the utility of donors is maximized. To cope with the uncertain nature of some of the input parameters, a novel mixed possibilistic-robust-fuzzy programming approach is developed. The data from a real case study is utilized to show the applicability and efficiency of the proposed model. Finally, some sensitivity analyses are performed on the important parameters and some managerial insights are suggested.

Therapeutic apheresis in kidney diseases: an updated review

Besides conventional medical therapies, therapeutic apheresis has become an important adjunctive or alternative therapeutic option to immunosuppressive agents for primary or secondary kidney diseases and kidney transplantation. The available therapeutic apheresis techniques used in kidney diseases, including plasma exchange, double-filtration plasmapheresis, immunoadsorption, and low-density lipoprotein apheresis. Plasma exchange is still the leading extracorporeal therapy. Recently, growing evidence supports the potential benefits of double-filtration plasmapheresis and immunoadsorption for more specific and effective clearance of pathogenic antibodies with fewer side effects. However, more randomized controlled trials are still needed. Low-density lipoprotein apheresis is also an important supplementary therapy used in patients with recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. This review collects the latest evidence from recent studies, focuses on the specific advantages and disadvantages of these techniques, and compares the discrepancy among them to determine the optimal therapeutic regimens for certain kidney diseases.

Steroid-free maintenance immunosuppression using alemtuzumab in pediatric kidney transplantation: Long-term longitudinal follow-up

BACKGROUND

There is a scarcity of long-term data on steroid-free immunosuppression using alemtuzumab in pediatric kidney transplantation (KTx). This study examines long-term outcomes with alemtuzumab without steroid maintenance therapy in pediatric KTx.

METHODS

From July 2005 to June 2015, 71 pediatric KTx recipients received alemtuzumab without steroid maintenance. They were followed from 4.1 to 14.1 years post KTx.

RESULTS

Patient survival: One child expired with a functioning graft from post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). Patient survival was 98.6%. Graft survival: Eighteen grafts were lost (16 from chronic rejection). Graft survival at 5 and 10 years was 92.3% and 61.3%, respectively. Rejection: Twenty-three (32.4%) patients were free from T-cell-mediated rejection (TCMR), 16 (22.5%) had >3 episodes. Sixteen (22.5%) were treated for antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). Infection: Twenty-three children developed Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), 5 developed cytomegalovirus (CMV), and 20 developed BK virus infection. Four (5.6%) developed PTLD. Twenty-two (31.0%) required treatment for neutropenia. Growth parameters: Mean height and weight increased by 0.56 and 0.69 SDS (standard deviation score), respectively. Body mass index increased by 5.1 kg/m² at 10 years. Less than 40% required antihypertensive medications at all-time points.

CONCLUSION

Alemtuzumab, without corticosteroid maintenance, offers 98.6% patient survival at 14 years with five and 10-year graft survival of 92.3% and 61.3%, respectively. TCMR and AMR requiring treatment were 67.4% and 22.5%, respectively. CMV, EBV, and BK viremia rates were 7.0%, 32.4%, and 28.2%, respectively. Thirty-one percent were treated for neutropenia; 5.6% developed PTLD. There were improvements in growth parameters and blood pressure.

The Efficacy of COVID-19 Vaccines in Chronic Kidney Disease and Kidney Transplantation Patients: A Narrative Review

The SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) pandemic has posed a huge threat to global health because of its rapid spread and various mutant variants. Critical illness occurs in the elderly and vulnerable individuals, such as those with chronic kidney disease. The severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with the severity of chronic kidney disease (CKD)and even kidney transplantation (KT) because of the chronic use of immunosuppressive agents. To develop adaptive immunity against SARS-CoV-2, vaccination against the spike protein is important. Current phase III trials of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have not focused on a specific group of individuals, such as patients with CKD or those undergoing dialysis or kidney transplantation. Chronic use of immunosuppressive agents might disturb the immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. On the basis of limited evidence, the immune compromised status of CKD patients might decrease neutralizing antibody development after a single dose of a specific vaccine. Boosting dosage more than the protocol might increase the titer of the neutralizing antibody in CKD patients. Further evidence is needed to understand the factors disturbing the immunogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, and CKD patients should receive the recommended dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine due to their relatively immune compromised status.

Risk Factors for Extended-Spectrum β-lactamase-Producing Enterobacterales Bloodstream Infection Among Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients

BACKGROUND

Approximately 40% of all Enterobacterales (EB) bloodstream infections (BSIs) among solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) are due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organisms, but risk factors for such infections remain ill defined in this population. We sought to determine the risk factors for ESBL-EB BSIs among SOTRs.

METHODS

A multicenter case-control study was performed. All SOTRs with an EB BSI at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and University of Maryland Medical Center between 1 January 2007 and 30 June 2018 and at The Johns Hopkins Hospital between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2015 were included. Cases were those with an ESBL-EB BSI. Controls were those with a non-ESBL-EB BSI. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine risk factors for ESBL-EB BSI.

RESULTS

There were 988 episodes of EB BSI, of which 395 (40%) were due to an ESBL-EB. On multivariable analysis, the independent risk factors for ESBL-EB BSI included: ESBL-EB on prior culture (aOR, 12.75; 95% CI, 3.23-50.33; P < .001), a corticosteroid-containing immunosuppression regimen (aOR 1.30; 95% CI 1.03-1.65; P = .030), acute rejection treated with corticosteroids (aOR 1.18; 95% CI 1.16-1.19; P < .001), and exposure to third-generation cephalosporins (aOR 1.95; 95% CI 1.48-2.57; P < .001), echinocandins (aOR 1.61; 95% CI 1.08-2.40; P = .020), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (aOR 1.35; 95% CI 1.10-1.64; P = .003).

CONCLUSIONS

We identified several novel risk factors that are uniquely important to the SOTR population, including exposure to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and corticosteroid-containing immunosuppressive regimens. Further studies exploring these associations and testing interventions aimed at these modifiable risk factors among SOTRs are needed.

Successful use of nonantigen-specific immunoadsorption with antihuman Ig-columns in kidney graft antibody-mediated rejection

INTRODUCTION

Nonantigen-specific immunoadsorption (IA) has proven to be effective in acute antibody-mediated rejection (aAMR). However, there is a lack of solid studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of IA with antihuman Ig-columns in aAMR. For chronic-active AMR (cAMR), no studies have evaluated the efficacy of nonantingen-specific IA with antihuman Ig-columns. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of nonantigen-specific IA with antihuman Ig-columns in the treatment of both aAMR and cAMR in kidney transplantation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In retrospective and observational study, kidney graft and recipient survival rates were assessed after treatment of aAMR and cAMR with nonantigen-specific IA with Ig-Flex columns (Therasorb) between January 2012 and May 2018. Protocols included nonantigen-specific IA, rituximab, intravenous immunoglobulin, and rescue plasma exchange, if necessary.

RESULTS

The study included 14 patients with AMR (acute in 9, chronic active in 5). For aAMR, mean follow-up was 13 ± 6 months, and patient and graft survival were, respectively, of 100% and 83%, with a mean increase in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 7.98 ± 12.96, 10.18 ± 16.71, and 11.43 ± 13.85 mL/min/1.72 m² (P > .05) at 3, 12 months after treatment, and at the end of follow-up, respectively. For cAMR, mean follow-up was 14 ± 8 months, and patient and graft survival were, respectively, of 100% and 60%, with an average increase in eGFR of 4.30 ± 7.86, 5.64 ± 10.47, and 14.5 ± 7.86 mL/min/m² (P > .05) at 3, 12 months after IA treatment, and at the end of the follow-up, respectively, although 40% did not respond and required chronic hemodialysis.

CONCLUSION

Nonantigen-specific IA with Ig-Flex columns was safe and effective for aAMR treatment in kidney transplantation. In cAMR, IA with Ig-Flex columns was associated with a satisfactory kidney graft survival, suggesting that IA could potentially offer some benefits supporting its indication in cAMR.