Prevention of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder in pediatric kidney transplant recipients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a devastating complication of immunosuppressive treatment in both solid organ transplantations (SOT) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCT). Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection precedes PTLD in 90% of patients. Rituximab, a monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody, depletes B-lymphocytes, which are the ultimate reservoir for EBV. Although rituximab therapy is commonly used as a preventive measure for PTLD in high-risk HSCT, it is not established in SOT.

Methods

Pediatric kidney transplant recipients (PKTR) underwent routine EBV-PCR surveillance. Patients with increasing viral loads, despite immunosuppressive dose reduction, were managed with preventive rituximab therapy.

Results

Between 2012 and 2023,

SUBMITTER: Pollack S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11747069 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature