Meric Oruc

Survival of renal transplant patients: data from a tertiary care center in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE Data on transplantation survival is widely available for developed countries where cadaveric transplantation is the dominant transplantation type. We aimed to assess patient and graft survival and to determine the possible factors affecting graft survival in a developing country where kidney transplantations were mainly performed from living donors. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed data from 427 adult kidney transplantations performed at our center from January 1990 to November 2010. We collected data from patient files, including characteristics of the recipients and donors, transplantation-related factors, post-transplantation features, causes of graft loss, and patient death. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze survival, and Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the effects of multiple factors on graft survival. RESULTS Most of the recipients (82.6%) received their organs from living donors. One-year and 5-year graft survival rates were 87.5% and 78.3%, respectively, where the 5-year graft survival rates were 87.1% for living donors and 74.8% for cadaveric donors. The 1-year and 5-year patient survival rates were 90.9% and 88.9%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that predictors for better graft survival were serum creatinine levels <1.5 mg/dL at 1 month after transplantation, proteinuria <500 mg/d at 1 year after transplantation, use of tacrolimus and mycophenolic acid derivative-based immunosuppression at baseline, living-donor transplantation, and transplantations performed in the years 2000-2010. CONCLUSIONS We report data on kidney transplantation in an emerging country where living-donor transplantation constitutes a large proportion of kidney transplant activities. Modern immunosuppressive medications help to achieve a better survival. Our 5-year results are similar to those of developed countries.

Candidal psoas abscess following persistent pyuria in a renal transplant recipient

Candidal infections occur commonly in renal transplant recipients especially in genitourinary system. Although the epidemiology of candiduria has not been well characterized in renal transplant population, it is the most common cause of fungal infections. However, candidal psoas abscess is very rare in the literature. We report a 42-year-old male renal transplant recipient with prolonged pyuria and candiduria followed by candidal psoas abscess formation. The treatment consisted of prolonged antifungal therapy along with percutaneous drainage. However, eventually, a surgical drainage had to be performed for the successful eradication.

Progression of Metabolic Syndrome in Renal Transplant Recipients

BACKGROUND Metabolic syndrome, which is closely related to insulin resistance, is highly prevalent in renal transplant recipients. PURPOSE We aimed to investigate prevalence, risk factors, and progression of metabolic syndrome in renal transplant recipients. METHODS One hundred fifty-eight renal transplant recipients who had been on transplantation for more than 1 year and 79 age-sex matched healthy controls were included in the cross-sectional phase of the study. We measured baseline characteristics, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and lipid profiles and we defined metabolic syndrome using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. One hundred twenty-four renal transplant recipients were eligible for the second evaluation after 22.9 ± 3.8 months. Metabolic syndrome prevalence and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance levels were evaluated during the follow-up period. RESULTS Overall, metabolic syndrome was present in 34.2% of the patients and 12.7% of the controls at the cross-sectional phase of the study (P = .000). Only the hypertension component of metabolic syndrome was significantly increased in patients compared to controls (P = .000). Pretransplantation weight and body mass index were significantly higher in patients who had metabolic syndrome (P = .000). During the follow-up period, prevalence of metabolic syndrome did not change (P = .510); however, body mass index and blood pressure increased and the high density lipoprotein cholesterol component of metabolic syndrome decreased (P = .001). We did not find any significant difference in glomerular filtration rate change among patients with and without metabolic syndrome (-2.2 ± 11.36 vs -6.14 ± 13.19; P = .091). Glucose metabolism parameters including hemoglobin A1c, insulin, and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance were disturbed in patients with metabolic syndrome (P = .000, P = .001, P = .002, respectively). CONCLUSION Metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent in renal transplant recipients and closely associated with insulin resistance. The prominent criterion of metabolic syndrome in patients seems to be hypertension, especially high systolic blood pressure. The identification of metabolic syndrome as a risk factor may yield new treatment modalities to prevent it.

The Frequency and Associated Factors for BK Virus Infection in a Center Performing Mainly Living Kidney Transplantations

Purpose: BK virus (BKV) nephropathy has increasingly become an important cause of morbidity in renal transplant recipients. We evaluated the frequency and associated factors for BKV infection in a center performing mainly living donor transplantations over a long time period. Methods: One hundred consecutive renal transplant patients were included. Quarterly visits were planned to examine urine for decoy cells and to measure the BKV DNA in the blood and urine. Renal biopsy was performed in case of deteriorated allograft function. Serological examinations for BKV immunoglobulin G (IgG) were performed in donors. Results: Throughout the entire follow-up period, the rates of viruria, viremia, and the positivity of decoy cells were 12%, 6%, and 13%, respectively. The negative and positive predictive values of decoy cells were 93.1% and 69.2%, respectively, for viruria, and 99.2% and 45.5%, respectively, for viremia. Biopsy-proven BKV nephropathy was observed in 1 patient. The BKV IgG was positive in all living donors. Viruria and viremia were associated with deceased donor transplantation, acute rejection, and pulse steroid therapy. In addition, viremia was associated with antithymocyte globulin therapy and a short duration of the posttransplant period. Conclusions: The frequency of BKV infection was lower in our transplant unit compared to previous reports. Reduced doses of immunosuppression seem to be the main factor that may explain the reduced frequency. However, an active screening strategy is still of importance for this patient group.

The Use of Low-Calcium Hemodialysis in the Treatment of Hypercalcemic Crisis

Background: We reviewed the results of low-calcium hemodialysis (LCHD; 1.25 mmol/L) in the treatment of 42 cases admitting with hypercalcemic crisis. Methods: All patients (≥18 years) who started LCHD due to hypercalcemia between 2002 and 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Biochemical data were obtained at the beginning of the first hemodialysis and at the end of the last hemodialysis. “Refractory” cases were defined as patients having albumin corrected serum total calcium (SCatotal) levels above 10.2 mg/dL despite of all medical, surgical, and hemodialysis treatments. Results: By acceptance of 3 cases admitted again over 6 months as new cases, a total of 42 cases (male, 57.1%) with a mean age of 55.9 ± 14.8 years underwent urgent hemodialysis. Most of the patients (82.1%) had malignancies. The mean SCatotal level at the beginning of hemodialysis sessions was 15.89 ± 2.53 mg/dL. The mean decline of SCatotal level was 4.63 ± 2.72 mg/dL. Refractory cases received hemodialysis after admission significantly later than improved cases (48 [interquartile ranges (IQR) 24–168] vs. 24 [IQR 12–48] h, p = 0.010). Serum creatinine and SCatotal levels at the last visit were significantly more in refractory cases than improved cases (1.92 [IQR 0.81–3.41] vs. 1.30 [IQR 0.8–1.7] mg/dL, p = 0.031 and 12.43 ± 2.53 vs. 8.86 ± 0.67 mg/dL, p = 0.000 respectively). Mortality was significantly higher in refractory cases than improved cases (58.8 vs. 10.5%, p = 0.002). Overall mortality rate was 33.3%. Conclusion: Hypercalcemic crisis is a life-threatening condition and should be managed immediately.

A Rare Presentation of Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy: Acute Kidney Injury

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is known as an uncommon presentation in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). The aim of our study was to analyze the clinical data and biopsy findings in IgAN patients presenting with AKI. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all subjects who had biopsy-proven IgAN and presented with AKI during June 2002 September 2015. The following data were obtained from medical records. Results: A total of 15 patients of 123 patients (12.2%) with primary IgAN admitted with AKI. Patients were generally male (73.3%), with a median age of 38 (interquartile range; IQR, 2,944) years. The serum creatinine at admission was above the normal range (median 2.3 [IQR, 2.14.7] mg/dL]). On histology, cellular/fibrocellular crescents were present in 6 patients. In most cases (53.3%), pathologic abnormalities associated with acute tubular injury/necrosis were defined. Red blood cell casts in tubules were present in 6 cases (40%). In all cases, interstitial mixed inflammatory cell infiltration was observed. In 4 cases, admixed eosinophils were also found. In 3 patients, biopsy specimens showed acute thrombotic microangiopathy lesions (20%). Median follow-up time was 13 (IQR, 346) months. Six patients (40%) progressed to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Among patients diagnosed with primary IgAN and presenting without AKI, only 4 patients progressed to ESRD. The proportion of patients who progressed to ESRD presenting with AKI was significantly higher than the patients presenting without AKI (p = 0.000). Conclusions: In conclusion, AKI complicates IgAN more often.

Gangliocytoma Presenting With Tacrolimus Neurotoxicity in a Renal Transplant Recipient: Case Report

Tacrolimus is a widely used macrolide immunosuppressant in transplant surgery, with mild and major neurologic side effects. A 21-year-old woman had undergone preemptive transplantation of a kidney from her mother. On the 1st postoperative day, the patient had headache, nausea, vomiting, and agitation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed hyperintensity and a lesion in the right mesial temporal lobe. After we switched from tacrolimus to cyclosporine, the symptoms regressed. Persistence of the lesion, confirmed by repeated MRI, required that the patient be operated on. Pathologic examination showed the gangliocytoma, a rare brain tumor. Our case shows that preexisting brain lesions may cause tacrolimus-induced neurotoxicity in the early postoperative period.

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring and Echocardiographic Findings in Renal Transplant Recipients

Hypertension is common in renal transplant recipients (RTRs). Ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring (ABPM) is important in diagnosing hypertension and diurnal BP variation. The authors set out to compare office BP and ABPM measurements to determine diurnal pattern and to evaluate echocardiographic findings in RTRs. ABPM and office BP measurements were compared in 87 RTRs. Echocardiographic evaluation was performed for each patient. The correlations between office and 24‐hour ABPM were 0.275 for mean systolic BP (P=.011) and 0.260 for mean diastolic BP (P=.017). Only 36.8% had concordant hypertension between office BP and ABPM, with a masked hypertension rate of 16.1% and white‐coat effect rate of 24.1%. Circadian BP patterns showed a higher proportion of nondippers (67.8%). Left ventricular mass index was increased in 21.8% of all recipients. There was a significant but weak correlation between office BP and ABPM.