The immunomodulatory effects of extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) have been used for the treatment of T‐cell mediated disorders, such as rejection in organ transplantation. Currently, it is an ...established therapy for heart and lung rejection, but not for kidney transplantation (KT), where experience is limited. In addition, some data suggest that ECP could generate an immune response against infections, thus being an alternative for the treatment of rejection in case of active or high‐risk of infection. In the present study, we analyze four cases of use of ECP as concomitant therapy in patients with KT and high risk of opportunistic infections due to the high burden of immunosuppression throughout their renal diseases. Two patients had concomitant viral infection (cytomegalovirus and BK virus, respectively) and three patients were on treatment for graft rejection. In the two patients with active viral infection, the infection was successfully controlled during ECP treatment. In all cases, ECP has been shown to be a safe procedure, without complications.
Primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) is an autoimmune disease limited to the kidney that is characterized by the presence of circulating PLAR2 antibodies in 70% of the cases and usually positivity ...for PLA2R and IgG4 by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. We report the first documented case of PMN (PLA2R positive) in a deceased kidney donor, transplanted to two different recipients and their clinical and immunological evolution through serial biopsies. Recipient A's first allograft biopsy (Day 26) was compatible with a MN with both positive PLA2R and IgG4 subepithelial deposits in IHC. The donor's preimplantation kidney biopsies were retrieved and reexamined, revealing MN, with high intensity for PLA2R and IgG4 in IHC. Recipient B's protocol allograft biopsy, performed later at 3 months, also revealed histology compatible with MN but without the presence of PLA2R nor IgG4 in IHC. At 1‐year follow‐up, both recipients maintain graft function. Serial protocol biopsies were performed in both patients showing disappearance of IgG4 in recipient A but the persistence of PLA2R in IHC. We can conclude that, given the reversal of PMN changes in the grafts, it could be considered to transplant a patient from an asymptomatic deceased donor with PMN as long as he maintains unaltered renal function.
This study reports successful clinical and immunological outcomes documented through serial biopsies for 2 transplants using kidneys from a deceased donor with asymptomatic PLA2R‐positive primary membranous nephropathy.
The dialysis‐based definition of Delayed Graft Function (dDGF) is not necessarily objective as it depends on the individual physician’s decision. The functional definition of DGF (fDGF, the failure ...of serum creatinine to decrease by at least 10% daily on 3 consecutive days during the first week post‐transplant), may be more sensitive to reflect recovery after the ischemia‐reperfusion injury. We retrospectively analyzed both definitions in 253 deceased donor kidney transplant recipients for predicting death‐censored graft failure as primary outcome, using eGFR < 25 ml/min/1.73 m2 as a surrogate end‐point for graft failure. Secondary outcome was a composite outcome that included graft failure as above and also patient’s death. Median follow‐up was 3.22 2.38–4.21 years. Seventy‐nine patients developed dDGF (31.2%) and 127 developed fDGF (50.2%). Sixty‐three patients fulfilled criteria for both definitions (24.9%). At multivariable analysis, the two definitions were significantly associated with the primary HR (95%CI) 2.07 (1.09–3.94), P = 0.026 for fDGF and HR (95%CI) 2.41 (1.33–4.37), P = 0.004 for dDGF and the secondary composite outcome HR (95%CI) 1.58 (1.01–2.51), P = 0.047 for fDGF and HR (95%CI) 1.67 (1.05–2.66), P = 0.028 for dDGF. Patients who met criteria for both definitions had the worst prognosis, with a three‐year estimates (95%CI) of survival from the primary and secondary outcomes of 2.31 (2.02–2.59) and 2.20 (1.91–2.49) years for fDGF+/dDGF+, in comparison with the other groups (P < 0.01 for trend). fDGF provides supplementary information about graft outcomes on top of the dDGF definition in a modern series of kidney transplantation.
ABSTRACT
Background
The role of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in the management glomerular/systemic autoimmune diseases with proteinuria in real-world clinical settings is ...unclear.
Methods
This is a retrospective, observational, international cohort study. Adult patients with biopsy-proven glomerular diseases were included. The main outcome was the percentage reduction in 24-h proteinuria from SGLT2i initiation to 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Secondary outcomes included percentage change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), proteinuria reduction by type of disease and reduction of proteinuria ≥30% from SGLT2i initiation.
Results
Four-hundred and ninety-three patients with a median age of 55 years and background therapy with renin–angiotensin system blockers were included. Proteinuria from baseline changed by –35%, –41%, –45% and –48% at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after SGLT2i initiation, while eGFR changed by –6%, –3%, –8% and –10.5% at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, respectively. Results were similar irrespective of the underlying disease. A correlation was found between body mass index (BMI) and percentage proteinuria reduction at last follow-up. By mixed-effects logistic regression model, serum albumin at SGLT2i initiation emerged as a predictor of ≥30% proteinuria reduction (odds ratio for albumin <3.5 g/dL, 0.53; 95% CI 0.30–0.91; P = .02). A slower eGFR decline was observed in patients achieving a ≥30% proteinuria reduction: –3.7 versus –5.3 mL/min/1.73 m2/year (P = .001). The overall tolerance to SGLT2i was good.
Conclusions
The use of SGLT2i was associated with a significant reduction of proteinuria. This percentage change is greater in patients with higher BMI. Higher serum albumin at SGLT2i onset is associated with higher probability of achieving a ≥30% proteinuria reduction.
Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of death in patients with type 1 diabetes. Of the available risk predictors for this population, the Steno Type 1 Risk Engine (STENO T1) is the only one that ...includes kidney function as a risk factor, which is a well-described independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
We explore how simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKT) modifies the predicted cardiovascular risk by the STENO T1 through a retrospective study including recipients of a first SPKT between 2000 and 2016.
Two hundred sixty-eight SPKT recipients with a mean age of 40 y old and a median follow-up of 10 y were included. Before transplantation, the expected incidence of cardiovascular events (CVEs) at 5 and 10 y according to STENO T1 would have been 31% and 50%, respectively, contrasting with an actual incidence of 9.3% and 16% for the same timepoints, respectively (P < 0.05). These differences were attenuated when STENO T1 was recalculated assuming 12th-mo glomerular filtration rate (at 5 and 10 y predicted CVE incidence was 10.5% and 19.4%, respectively). Early pancreas graft failure (hazard ratio HR 3.00, 95% confidence interval CI, 1.14-7.88; P = 0.02) was an independent risk factor for post-SPKT CVE, alongside kidney graft failure (HR 2.90, 95% CI, 1.53-5.48; P = 0.001), and diabetes duration (HR 1.04, 95% CI, 1.00-1.09, P = 0.04).
SPKT decreases in more than two-thirds of the predicted cardiovascular risk by the STENO T1. A functioning pancreas graft further reduces CVE risk, independently of kidney graft function.
ABSTRACT
Renal replacement therapy (RRT) in cirrhotic patients encompasses a number of issues related to the particular characteristics of this population, especially in the intensive care unit (ICU) ...setting. The short-term prognosis of cirrhotic patients with acute kidney injury is poor, with a mortality rate higher than 65% in patients with RRT requirement, raising questions about the futility of its initiation. Regarding the management of the RRT itself, there is still no consensus with respect to the modality (continuous versus intermittent) or the anticoagulation required to improve the circuit life, which is shorter than similar at-risk populations, despite the altered haemostasis in traditional coagulation tests frequently found in these patients. Furthermore, volume management is one of the most complex issues in this cohort, where tools used for ambulatory dialysis have not yet been successfully reproducible in the ICU setting.
This review attempts to shed light on the management of acute RRT in the critically ill cirrhotic population based on the current evidence and the newly available tools. We will discuss the timing of RRT initiation and cessation, the modality, anticoagulation and fluid management, as well as the outcomes of the RRT in this population, and provide a brief review of the albumin extracorporeal dialysis from the point of view of a nephrologist.
Information about the impact of diabetic neuropathy (DN) on outcomes after pancreas transplantation (PT) is scarce. We assessed the independent relationship between DN markers with both graft ...survival and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) after transplantation.
A cohort study in individuals with type 1 diabetes and end-stage kidney disease who underwent PT between 1999 and 2015 was conducted. DN was assessed with vibration perception thresholds (VPTs) and orthostatic hypotension (pre-PT and 6 mo, 2-3, 5-6, and 8-10 y after transplantation). Pretransplantation and posttransplantation DN markers were related with graft failure/dysfunction and incident CVD during follow-up.
We included 187 participants (70% men, age 39.9 ± 7.1 y, diabetes duration 27.1 y), with a median follow-up of 11.3 y. Abnormal VPTs (≥25 V) were observed in 53%. After transplantation, VPTs improved (22.4 ± 8.4 pretransplant versus 16.1 ± 6.1 V at 8-10 y post-PT; P < 0.001); additionally, the prevalence of abnormal VPTs decreased (53% pretransplant versus 24.4% at 8-10 y; P < 0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, diabetes duration, blood pressure, body mass index, and previous CVD, pretransplant VPTs ≥25 V were independently associated with pancreas graft failure/dysfunction (hazard ratio HR, 2.01 1.01-4.00) and incident CVD (HR, 2.57 1.17-5.64). Furthermore, persistent abnormal VPTs after 6 mo posttransplantation were associated with the worst outcomes (HR, 2.80 1.25-6.23 and HR, 3.19 1.14-8.96, for graft failure/dysfunction and incident CVD, respectively).
In individuals with type 1 diabetes and end-stage kidney disease, PT was associated with an improvement of VPTs. This simple and widely available DN study was independently associated with pancreas graft function and CVD posttransplantation.
La encefalopatía por contraste es una complicación neurológica relacionada con el contraste utilizado en procedimientos endovasculares o tomografía computarizada (TC). Los principales factores de ...riesgo son la hipertensión arterial, la diabetes mellitus, la enfermedad renal crónica (ERC), contrastes hiperosmolares, cantidad de contraste infundida y su infusión directa en el territorio cerebral posterior, o patologías que cursen con daño de barrera hematoencefálica. La sintomatología es inespecífica y puede presentarse como alteración del nivel de conciencia, focalidad neurológica o crisis comiciales. El diagnóstico es de exclusión tras haber descartado los accidentes cerebrovasculares (ACV) isquémicos o hemorrágicos; el TC o la resonancia magnética (RM) son de utilidad para su diferenciación. Generalmente aparece poco tiempo tras la exposición y la sintomatología dura 48-72 h con recuperación completa, aunque se han descrito casos con persistencia de los síntomas o mayor duración. El tratamiento es la monitorización con medidas de soporte y la terapia de sustitución renal con hemodiálisis (HD) en aquellos pacientes en programa crónico. Es importante que el nefrólogo conozca esta entidad, dada la susceptibilidad del paciente en HD, así como su potencial papel terapéutico en estos pacientes.
Contrast-induced encephalopathy is a neurological complication related to contrast used in endovascular procedures or computed tomography (CT). The main risk factors are arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease (CKD), hyperosmolar contrasts, the amount of infused contrast and its direct infusion in the posterior cerebral territory, or pathologies with blood–brain barrier damage. Symptomatology is non-specific and may present as altered level of consciousness, neurological focality or seizures. Diagnosis is done by exclusion after ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke has been ruled out; CT or MRI are useful for differentiation. Generally, it appears shortly after exposure and the symptoms lasts 48–72 h with complete recovery, although cases with persistence of symptoms or longer duration have been described. Treatment consists of monitoring, supportive measures and renal replacement therapy (RRT) with hemodialysis (HD) in patients in chronic RRT program. It is important for the nephrologist to be aware of this entity given the susceptibility of the patient on HD as well as its potential therapeutic role in these patients.
ObjectiveImprovement in insulin alternatives is leading to a delayed presentation of microvascular and macrovascular complications of diabetes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ...long-term outcomes of older (≥50 years) diabetic patients who receive a pancreas transplantation (PT).Research design and methodsWe retrospectively evaluated all 338 PTs performed at our center between 2000 and 2016 (mean follow-up 9.4±4.9 years). Recipient and graft survivals were estimated for up to 10 years after PT. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) before and after PT were included in the analysis.ResultsThirty-nine patients (12%) were ≥50 years old (52.7±2.3 years) at the day of PT, of which 29 received a simultaneous pancreas–kidney transplantation (SPK) and 10 a pancreas after kidney transplantation (PAK). SPK recipients were first transplants, whereas in the PAK up to 50% were pancreas re-transplantations. Recipient and pancreas graft survivals at 10 years were similar between the group <50 years old and the older group for both SPK and PAK (log-rank p>0.05). The prevalence of MACE prior to PT was similar between both groups (31% vs 29%). Following PT, older recipients presented inferior post-transplant MACE-free survival. In a multivariate regression model, diabetes vintage (HR 1.054, p=0.03) and pre-transplantation MACE (HR 1.98, p=0.011), but not recipient age (HR 1.45, p=0.339), were associated with post-transplant MACE.ConclusionsLong-term survival of older pancreas transplant recipients are similar to younger counterparts. Diabetes vintage, but not age, increased the risk of post-transplantation MACE. These results suggest pancreas transplantation is a valuable treatment alternative to older diabetic patients.
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