Clinical and pathological features of thrombotic microangiopathy influencing long-term kidney transplant outcomes

INTRODUCTION

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) in post-transplant setting has heterogeneous clinical manifestations.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied data of 89 patients with post-transplant TMA, which was characterized by thrombi in at least one glomerulus and/or arteriole. Systemic TMA was defined by thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic anemia and early onset TMA, when occurred less than 90 days post transplant.

RESULTS

The cumulative incidence was 0.93%. The majority of the recipients were young (mean age 39 years), female (52%) and Caucasian (48%) with primary kidney disease of unknown etiology (37%). Early TMA occurred in 51% of the patients and systemic TMA, in 25%. Underlying precipitating factors were: infection (54%), acute rejection (34%), calcineurin inhibitor toxicity (13%) and pregnancy (3%). 18% of the patients had several triggers. Glomerular TMA was observed in 50% of the biopsies and endothelial cell activation, in 61%. The 1-year patient survival was 97% and corresponding graft survival, 66%. Allograft survival was inferior when acute antibody mediated rejection (ABMR) occurred (with 41%; without 70%, p = 0.01), however no differences were determined by hemolysis, time of onset, thrombi location or endothelial cell activation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that post-transplant TMA is a rare but severe condition, regardless of its clinical and histological presentation, mainly when associated to ABMR.

Factors associated with hospital mortality in renal transplant patients admitted to the intensive care unit with acute respiratory failure

INTRODUCTION

The lungs are often involved in a variety of complications after kidney transplantation. Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is one of the most serious manifestations of pulmonary involvement.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the main causes of ARF in kidney transplant patients who require intensive care and identify the factors associated with mortality.

METHODS

This retrospective study evaluated adult patients with ARF admitted to the intensive care unit of a center with high volume of transplants from August 2013 to August 2015. Demographic, clinical, and transplant characteristics were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with hospital mortality.

RESULTS

183 patients were included with age of 55.32 ± 13.56 years. 126 (68.8%) were deceased-donor transplant, and 37 (20.2%) patients had previous history of rejection. The ICU admission SAPS3 and SOFA score were 54.39 ± 10.32 and 4.81 ± 2.32, respectively. The main cause of hospitalization was community-acquired pneumonia (18.6%), followed by acute pulmonary edema (15.3%). Opportunistic infections were common: PCP (9.3%), tuberculosis (2.7%), and cytomegalovirus (2.2%). Factors associated with mortality were requirement for vasopressor (OD 8.13, CI 2.83 to 23.35, p < 0.001), invasive mechanical ventilation (OD 3.87, CI: 1.29 to 11.66, p = 0.016), and SAPS3 (OD 1.04, CI 1.0 to 1.08, p = 0.045).

CONCLUSION

Bacterial pneumonia is the leading cause of ARF requiring intensive care, followed by acute pulmonary edema. Requirement for vasopressor, invasive mechanical ventilation and SAP3 were associated with hospital mortality.

Mortality predictors in renal transplant recipients with severe sepsis and septic shock

Introduction

The growing number of renal transplant recipients in a sustained immunosuppressive state is a factor that can contribute to increased incidence of sepsis. However, relatively little is known about sepsis in this population. The aim of this single-center study was to evaluate the factors associated with hospital mortality in renal transplant patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with severe sepsis and septic shock.

Methods

Patient demographics and transplant-related and ICU stay data were retrospectively collected. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to identify the independent risk factors associated with hospital mortality.

Results

A total of 190 patients were enrolled, 64.2% of whom received kidneys from deceased donors. The mean patient age was 51±13 years (males, 115 [60.5%]), and the median APACHE II was 20 (16–23). The majority of patients developed sepsis late after the renal transplantation (2.1 [0.6–2.3] years). The lung was the most common infection site (59.5%). Upon ICU admission, 16.4% of the patients had ≤1 systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria. Among the patients, 61.5% presented with ≥2 organ failures at admission, and 27.9% experienced septic shock within the first 24 hours of ICU admission. The overall hospital mortality rate was 38.4%. In the multivariate analysis, the independent determinants of hospital mortality were male gender (OR = 5.9; 95% CI, 1.7–19.6; p = 0.004), delta SOFA 24 h (OR = 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2–2.3; p = 0.001), mechanical ventilation (OR = 30; 95% CI, 8.8–102.2; p<0.0001), hematologic dysfunction (OR = 6.8; 95% CI, 2.0–22.6; p = 0.002), admission from the ward (OR = 3.4; 95% CI, 1.2–9.7; p = 0.02) and acute kidney injury stage 3 (OR = 5.7; 95% CI,1.9–16.6; p = 0.002).

Conclusions

Hospital mortality in renal transplant patients with severe sepsis and septic shock was associated with male gender, admission from the wards, worse SOFA scores on the first day and the presence of hematologic dysfunction, mechanical ventilation or advanced graft dysfunction.