Renal outcome and evolution of disease activity in Chinese lupus patients after renal transplantation

Graft survival and mortality outcomes after kidney transplant in patients with lupus nephritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To explore the effect of lupus nephritis (LN) on graft survival in renal transplant patients. Literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE and Scopus database for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort, and case-control studies. The target population of interest was adult patients (aged >18 years) with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and no history of previous renal transplants. Primary outcomes of interest were graft survival and patient survival. Pooled effect estimates were calculated using random-effects models and reported as hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A total of 15 studies were included. Compared to patients with ESRD due to other causes, patients with LN undergoing kidney transplant had lower patient survival rate (HR 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.31; N = 15, I2=34.3%) and worse graft survival (HR 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.11; N = 16, I2=0.0%), especially when studies with deceased donor were pooled together. Studies with a larger sample size (>200) showed that LN was strongly associated with lower graft and patient survival rates. Elevated risk of mortality in LN patients was detected in case-control studies, but not RCTs. On the other hand, RCTs, but not case-control studies, showed an increased risk of poor graft survival in LN patients. The findings suggest that the presence of LN might have a negative impact on both the graft survival and the overall patient survival of post-transplant ESRD patients. Further studies that account for factors such as study methodology, donor characteristics, and sample size are needed to reach definitive conclusions. Renal transplant patients with LN should undergo regular follow-up examinations.

Recurrent lupus nephritis in renal allograft triggered by pregnancy

Herein we report the case of a 37-year-old woman with recurrence of lupus nephritis (LN) in a renal allograft during pregnancy. She had developed end-stage renal disease due to LN and was put on hemodialysis at the age of 26 years. She underwent kidney transplantation at the age 28 years. Maintenance immunosuppressants included methylprednisolone, tacrolimus, and mycophenolate mofetil, which were changed to azathioprine when she desired pregnancy. The renal allograft function remained stable and seemingly disease-free until proteinuria and functional decline occurred during the pregnancy (age: 34 years). The baby was delivered by performing a cesarean section at 33 weeks of gestation. Renal allograft biopsy revealed crescent formation. Light microscopy revealed tuft necrosis and endocapillary proliferation. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed the deposition of immunoglobulin G and C1q. A recurrence of LN (ISN/RPS class IV-G [A/C]) was diagnosed, and the patient was treated with pulse steroid therapy and azathioprine was replaced with mycophenolate mofetil. This treatment improved acute or active lesions of LN and temporarily benefited the renal allograft function. Unfortunately, there were irreversible chronic changes and a gradual decline in the renal allograft function.

Transplant outcomes in kidney recipients with lupus nephritis, and systematic review

Background

Despite improved survival of patients with lupus nephritis (LN), some require kidney transplantation because of progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, the transplant outcomes of these patients and other recipients have not been thoroughly compared.

Methods

In total, 1848 Korean kidney recipients who underwent transplantation from 1998 to 2017 at two tertiary referral centers were evaluated retrospectively. Among them, 28 recipients with LN, and 50 control recipients matched by age, sex, and donor type, were compared with respect to graft and patient survival. We pooled our data with 17 previous cohort studies in which the graft survival of recipients with LN was described in detail.

Results

During the median follow-up period of 9.5 years (maximum 21 years), graft failure (GF) occurred in 10.7% and 16.0% of LN and control recipients, respectively. No differences were found in the rates of GF and death-censored graft failure or patient survival between the two groups. The risks of acute T cell-mediated and antibody-mediated rejection were also similar between the two groups. The pooled analysis showed similar 1- and 5-year graft survival rates between LN and control recipients.

Conclusions

Kidney transplantation is an acceptable option in patients with concurrent LN and ESRD.

Management and treatment of glomerular diseases (part 2): conclusions from a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference

In November 2017, the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) initiative brought a diverse panel of experts in glomerular diseases together to discuss the 2012 KDIGO glomerulonephritis guideline in the context of new developments and insights that had occurred over the years since its publication. During this KDIGO Controversies Conference on Glomerular Diseases, the group examined data on disease pathogenesis, biomarkers, and treatments to identify areas of consensus and areas of controversy. This report summarizes the discussions on primary podocytopathies, lupus nephritis, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated nephritis, complement-mediated kidney diseases, and monoclonal gammopathies of renal significance.

Lupus Nephritis and Kidney Transplantation: Where Are We Today?

Lupus nephritis (LN) is the cause of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) for 1.9% of the ESKD population in the United States. Although the incidence rates of ESKD from LN stopped rising in recent years, racial disparities in waiting time, pre-emptive kidney transplant, and transplant outcomes still exist. Patients with LN who progress to ESKD tend to be female, of African ancestry, and young. Kidney transplantation is safe in this population and associated with a substantial survival benefit, primarily due to reduced deaths from cardiovascular disease and infection. Transplant outcomes for patients with ESKD due to LN are similar to those without LN.

Outcome and Prognosis of Patients With Lupus Nephritis Submitted to Renal Transplantation

This stydy aimed to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical profile and outcome of patients with lupus nephritis (LN) submitted to renal transplantation. Retrospective cohort study based on the records of 35 LN patients submitted to renal transplantation at a single center in Brazil between July 1996 and May 2016. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate 6-month, 1-year and 5-year graft survival. The sample included 38 transplantations (3 of which retransplantations). The mean age at the time of SLE diagnosis was 23.7 ± 9.0 years. Most patients were female (94.7%) and 68.4% were non-Caucasian. Twenty-two (57.9%) underwent renal biopsy prior to transplantation. The mean time from SLE diagnosis to transplantation was 10.3 ± 6.4 years. The mean pre-transplantation dialysis time was 3.8 ± 3.7 years. The grafts came from living related (n = 11) or deceased (n = 27) donors. Three (7.9%) patients experienced acute rejection in the first year. Graft and patient survival rates were, respectively, 97.1% and 100% at 6 months, 84.9% and 96.9% at 1 year, and 76.3% and 92.5% at 5 years. One (2.6%) patient had SLE recurrence. Venous thrombosis (p = 0.017) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) (p = 0.036) were more prevalent in patients with graft loss. In our cohort of LN patients submitted to renal transplantation, the 5-year survival rate was high, and APS was an important predictor of poor renal outcome (graft loss).

Impact of pre-transplant time on dialysis on survival in patients with lupus nephritis

Lupus nephritis (LN) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) often leading to end-stage renal failure (ESRF) and necessitating renal transplantation (rTp). Optimal timing of rTp in SLE patients with ESRF is uncertain and could potentially affect survival. We investigated the time spent on dialysis before rTp and survival following rTp in a cohort of SLE patients. Retrospective analysis of all adult SLE patients receiving rTp over a 40-year period (1975–2015) in two tertiary UK centres. Cox proportional hazard regression and receiver operator curves (ROC) were used to determine the risk associated with time on dialysis before rTp and other potential predictors. Forty patients (age 35 ± 11 years, 34 female, 15 Caucasian, 15 Afro–Caribbean and 10 South Asian) underwent rTp. During a median follow-up of 104 months (IQR 80,145), eight (20%) patients died and the 5-year survival was 95%. Univariate analysis identified time on dialysis prior to rTp as the only potentially modifiable risk predictor of survival with a hazard ratio of 1.013 for each additional month spent on dialysis (95% CI = 1.001–1.026, p = 0.03). ROC curves demonstrated that > 24 months on dialysis had an adverse effect with sensitivity of 0.875 and specificity 0.500 for death. No other modifiable predictors were significantly associated with mortality, indicating that time on dialysis had an independent effect. Increased time on dialysis pre-transplantation is an independent modifiable risk factor of mortality in this cohort of patients with lupus nephritis.

Long-term survival of kidney grafts in lupus nephritis: a Mexican cohort

Kidney transplant for patients with lupus nephritis (LN) has satisfactory outcomes in studies with short-term or mid-term follow up. Nevertheless, information about long-term outcomes is scarce. We performed a retrospective matched-pair cohort study in 74 LN recipients compared with 148 non-LN controls matched by age, sex, immunosuppressive treatment, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matches, and transplant period in order to evaluate long-term outcomes of kidney transplant in LN recipients. Matched pairs were predominantly females (83%), median age at transplant surgery of 32 years (interquartile range 23–38 years), and 66% received a graft from a living related donor. Among LN recipients, 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year graft survival was 81%, 79%, 57% and 51%, respectively, and it was similar to that observed in controls (89%, 78%, 64%, and 56%, respectively). Graft loss (27% vs. 21%, p = 0.24) and overall survival ( p = 0.15) were not different between LN recipients and controls. Also, there was no difference in episodes of immunological rejection, thrombosis, or infection. Only six LN recipients had biopsy-proven lupus recurrence and three of them had graft loss. In a cohort with a long follow up of kidney transplant recipients, LN recipients had similar long-term graft survival and overall outcomes compared with non-lupus recipients when predictors are matched between groups.

Renal transplantation in systemic lupus erythematosus: Comparison of graft survival with other causes of end-stage renal disease

INTRODUCTION

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to lupus nephritis (LN) occurs in 10%-30% of patients. Initially systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was a contraindication for kidney transplantation (KT). Today, long-term graft survival remains controversial. Our objective was to compare the survival after KT in patients with SLE or other causes of ESRD.

METHODS

All SLE patients who had undergone KT in a retrospective cohort were included. Renal graft survival was compared with that of 50 controls, matched for age, sex, and year of transplantation. Survival was evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier test and the Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

Twenty-five subjects with SLE were included. The estimated 1-year, 2- and 5-year survival rates for patients with SLE were 92%, 66% and 66%. Renal graft survival did not differ between patients with SLE and other causes of ESRD (P=.39). The multivariate analysis showed no significant difference in graft survival between the two groups (hazard ratio, HR=1.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57-6.61, P=.28). The recurrence rate of LN was 8% and was not associated with graft loss. Acute rejection was the only variable associated with graft loss in patients with SLE (HR=16.5, 95% CI 1.94-140.1, P=.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Renal graft survival in SLE patients did not differ from that reported for other causes of ESRD.

Renal outcome after kidney-transplantation in Korean patients with lupus nephritis

We investigated renal outcome of kidney-transplantation in 19 Korean recipients with biopsy-proven lupus nephritis and compared it with 18 Korean age- and gender-matched recipients without lupus nephritis who were diagnosed with end-stage renal disease caused by renal diseases other than lupus nephritis in a single centre. We reviewed histological findings of kidneys and calculated cumulative dose of immunosuppressive agents. We assessed renal flare of systemic lupus erythematosus, recurrence of lupus nephritis and graft failure as prognosis. The mean age of recipients with lupus nephritis was 43.5 years and all patients were female. Six patients had class III, 10 had class IV and three had class V. There were no meaningful differences in demographic data, renal replacement modality, cumulative doses of immunosuppressants and prognosis between recipients with and without lupus nephritis. Eight patients experienced renal flare of systemic lupus erythematosus, but there were no cases of recurrence of lupus nephritis or graft failure in recipients with lupus nephritis. Kidney-recipients with class IV lupus nephritis exhibited a lower cumulative renal flare of systemic lupus erythematosus free survival rate than those with class III lupus nephritis. In conclusion, renal outcome of kidney-transplantation in patients with lupus nephritis is similar to that in those without lupus nephritis, and class IV was associated with renal flare of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Primary disease recurrence—effects on paediatric renal transplantation outcomes

Primary disease recurrence after renal transplantation is mainly diagnosed by examination of biopsy samples, but can also be associated with clinical symptoms. In some patients, recurrence can lead to graft loss (7-8% of all graft losses). Primary disease recurrence is generally associated with a high risk of graft loss in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, membranous proliferative glomerulonephritis, primary hyperoxaluria or atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome. By contrast, disease recurrence is associated with a limited risk of graft loss in patients with IgA nephropathy, renal involvement associated with Henoch-Schönlein purpura, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated glomerulonephritis or lupus nephritis. The presence of systemic diseases that affect the kidneys, such as sickle cell anaemia and diabetes mellitus, also increases the risk of delayed graft loss. This Review provides an overview of the epidemiology, pathophysiology and management of primary disease recurrence in paediatric renal graft recipients, and describes the overall effect on graft survival of each of the primary diseases listed above. With appropriate management, few paediatric patients should be excluded from renal transplantation programmes because of an increased risk of recurrence.

Kidney transplantation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Despite improvements in overall prognosis in lupus nephritis, 10%-30% of patients with proliferative renal involvement progress to end stage renal disease, according to the severity of the disease and associated socioeconomic factors. Kidney transplantation has been recognized as the most appropriate treatment for those patients, but several issues remain after renal function restoration in a lupus recipient. Among these are the fear of lupus nephritis recurrence in the graft, the choice of immunosuppressive therapy in cases of recurrent lupus for a patient who has already received a toxic and prolonged immunosuppressive course, and finally, the management of comorbidities to reduce associated morbidities in the long term. All the above topics are examined in this review, with the hope of providing a clear picture of data as illustrated in the current literature.

Renal transplantation in lupus nephritis: a Brazilian cohort

OBJECTIVE

To determine the epidemiological profile and outcome of patients with lupus nephritis (LN) undergoing renal transplantation.

METHODS

The archival records of 50 patients with LN and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) treated by kidney transplantation from March 1992 to December 2010 were reviewed. All patients met the American College of Rheumatology criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

RESULTS

Fourteen patients were included in the study. The majority were women (85.7%) and non-Caucasian (85.7%); the mean age at diagnosis of SLE and LN was 24 ± 8 and 25 ± 8 years, respectively. Renal biopsy was performed in 12 patients, with 75% of them showing proliferative lesions (class III and IV according to the World Health Organization and International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society classification). Thirteen patients (93%) underwent intermittent hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis before transplantation. The median time between the start of dialysis and transplantation was 30 months (range 3-103 months); 67% of the procedures involved deceased donors and 33% involved living-related donors. The graft survival rates were 93.3%, 90.9%, and 85.7% at 1, 5 and 10 years, respectively. Post-transplant immunosuppressive agents were mycophenolate mofetil (84%), azathioprine (17%), tacrolimus (25%), sirolimus (58%) and cyclosporine (8%). Eight episodes of acute rejection were noted in six patients. There was a graft loss due to renal vein thrombosis in the one patient with secondary antiphospholipid syndrome. The mean SLICC by the time of kidney transplantation was 5 ± 2. In total, 13 patients (92.8%) developed at least one infectious event during the follow-up, with one dying in the immediate post-transplant period because of sepsis. Two patients (14%) had a lupus flare. There was no clinical or histological evidence of LN recurrence.

CONCLUSION

LN is the major cause of morbidity in SLE, with progression to ESRD in 10-22% of cases. Despite concerns about LN recurrence after renal transplantation, the data obtained in our sample indicate this procedure as a safe alternative therapy for ESRD in this population.

Recurrence of secondary glomerular disease after renal transplantation

The risk of a posttransplant recurrence of secondary glomerulonephritis (GN) is quite variable. Histologic recurrence is frequent in lupus nephritis, but the lesions are rarely severe and usually do not impair the long-term graft outcome. Patients with Henoch-Schonlein nephritis have graft survival similar to that of other renal diseases, although recurrent Henoch-Schonlein nephritis with extensive crescents has a poor prognosis. Amyloid light-chain amyloidosis recurs frequently in renal allografts but it rarely causes graft failure. Amyloidosis secondary to chronic inflammation may also recur, but this is extremely rare in patients with Behcet's disease or in those with familial Mediterranean fever, when the latter are treated with colchicine. Double organ transplantation (liver/kidney; heart/kidney), chemotherapy, and autologous stem cell transplantation may be considered in particular cases of amyloidosis, such as hereditary amyloidosis or multiple myeloma. There is little experience with renal transplantation in light-chain deposition disease, fibrillary/immunotactoid GN, or mixed cryoglobulinemic nephritis but successful cases have been reported. Diabetic nephropathy often recurs but usually only after many years. Recurrence in patients with small vessel vasculitis is unpredictable but can cause graft failure. However, in spite of recurrence, patient and graft survival rates are similar in patients with small vessel vasculitis compared with those with other renal diseases. Many secondary forms of GN no longer represent a potential contraindication to renal transplantation. The main issues in transplantation of patients with secondary GN are the infectious, cardiovascular, or hepatic complications associated with the original disease or its treatment.

A retrospective study of catastrophic invasive fungal infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus from southern Taiwan

As very few large scale publications of invasive fungal infection (IFI) have been reported in lupus patients from individual medical centers, a retrospective study was performed from 1988 to 2009 in southern Taiwan. Demographic characteristics, clinical and laboratory data, and mycological examinations were analyzed. Twenty cases with IFI were identified in 2397 patients (0.83% incidence). There were 19 females and one male with an average age of 31.8 +/- 12.6. Involved sites included eight disseminated cases, six central nervous system, four lungs, one abdomen and one soft tissue. IFI contributed to a high mortality with 10 deaths (50%), and there were no survivors for the disseminated cases and Candida-infected patients. High activity (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) > 8) was noted in 50% of IFI episodes. The survival from IFI diagnosis to death was only 7.7 +/- 4.2 days, all in a rapid course. No statistical difference was found between survivors and non-survivors when comparing their SLEDAI. Eighty-five percent of IFI episodes under high dosages of corticosteroids therapy and 95% of patients had lupus nephritis. There was an increased risk of IFI in the lupus patients receiving high daily dosage of prednisolone therapy. Critical information from analyses of the present large series could be applied into clinical practices to reduce the morbidity and mortality in such patients.

Risk factors and impact of recurrent lupus nephritis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus undergoing renal transplantation: data from a single US institution

OBJECTIVE

To determine the risk factors for recurrent lupus nephritis, allograft loss, and survival among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) undergoing kidney transplantation.

METHODS

The archival records of all kidney transplant recipients with a prior diagnosis of SLE (according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria) from June 1977 to June 2007 were reviewed. Patients who had died or lost the allograft within 90 days of engraftment were excluded. Time-to-event data were examined by univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses.

RESULTS

Two hundred twenty of nearly 7,000 renal transplantations were performed in 202 SLE patients during the 30-year interval. Of the 177 patients who met the criteria for study entry, the majority were women (80%) and African American (65%), the mean age was 35.6 years, and the mean disease duration was 11.2 years. Recurrent lupus nephritis was noted in 20 patients (11%), allograft loss in 69 patients (39%), and death in 36 patients (20%). African American ethnicity was found to be associated with a shorter time-to-event for recurrent lupus nephritis (hazard ratio [HR] 4.63, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.29-16.65) and death (HR 2.47, 95% CI 0.91-6.71), although, with the latter, the association was not statistically significant. Recurrent lupus nephritis and chronic rejection of the kidney transplant were found to be risk factors for allograft loss (HR 2.48, 95% CI 1.09-5.60 and HR 2.72, 95% CI 1.55-4.78, respectively). In patients with recurrent lupus nephritis, the lesion in the engrafted kidney was predominantly mesangial, compared with a predominance of proliferative or membranous lesions in the native kidneys.

CONCLUSION

African American ethnicity was independently associated with recurrent lupus nephritis. Allograft loss was associated with chronic transplant rejection and recurrence of lupus nephritis. Recurrent lupus nephritis is infrequent and relatively benign, without influence on a patient's survival.