ABSTRACT
Respiratory infections are among the most common and serious infections after solid organ transplantation (SOT). Infections within a month after transplant are usually donor-derived or bacterial infections related to surgical infections or ventilator associated. Infections between 1-6 months after SOT are mostly opportunistic due to various viruses, or fungal infections. After 6 months of transplantation usually community acquired infections predominate, however it is not uncommon to find opportunistic fungal and viral infections in this period. The signs and symptoms of these infections are often mitigated in SOT recipients, so a high index of suspicion is required along with microbiological or tissue diagnosis early in the course to timely treat these infections. Thorough screening for common infections and endemic infections is required in donor and recipients before transplantation to reduce the risk of infections in posttransplant period. Finally, a longer duration of treatment and prophylaxis is required for adequately treat these infections and prevent the relapse. Copyright © 2022 Indian Journal of Transplantation Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Because of the limited donor pool, transplants are being done across the blood group and even HLA incompatibility barriers. But this comes at the cost of increased immunosuppression and the side effects. Effect of this intensified immunosuppression on the incidence of post transplant infections and the type of infection has not been studied extensively. Methods: We retrospectively analysed the incidence of infection in ABO incompatible transplants (ABOi) and compared it with propensity matched cohort of ABO compatible transplants(ABOc) over the same timeframe i.e. 2011 to April 2019. using hospital eHIS record system. Patients were matched with 1:2 ratio (ABOi: ABOc) for age (<60yr, >60yrs),sex, number of previous transplants, pretransplant infections, history of prior immunosuppression, diabetic status, NODAT, and induction agent used. Desensitization protocol for ABO incompatible transplant includes rituximab with double filtration plasmapheresis, plasmapharesis or immunoadsorption to target anti blood group titre of 8. Patient with high immunological risk (e.g.second transplant, HLA incompatible) receive ATG induction while others receive basiliximab induction. Valganciclovir prophylaxis was given only in patients with ATG induction. Results: [Formula presented] [Formula presented] During the study period 89 patients underwent ABOi transplants which were compared with 178 ABOc transplants. (Table1)Mean follow up duration was 50.45months (SD 26.8) in ABOi group and 49.47months (SD28.7) in ABOc group. 17% patients lost to follow up with their last follow up being more than 2 years before. Incidence of overall infections was similar in both the groups (59% (43/89) Vs 44.3% (79/178);p=0.6). (Table2) Incidence of urinary tract infections(UTI)was significantly more in ABOi group vs ABOc group.(23.5% (21/89) vs 11.79% (21/178);p=0.019). Cytomegalovirus infections (CMV) were significantly more in ABOi group 12.3% (11/89) as compared to ABOc group 5% (9/187) (p=0.04). All the patients with CMV infection were CMV IgG positive pretransplant except 2, one from ABOc group who was CMV IgG negative and another from ABOi group who’s pretransplant CMV serology was unavailable. There was no significant difference in incidence of fungal infection, pneumocystis infection, diarrheal infections (other than CMV),pneumonia (other than CMV, PCP, fungal), Herpes, BKV infection. Incidence of post-transplant tuberculosis (3.3% (3/89) Vs 2.8% (5/178);p=1.0) and SARS COV2 infections (12.3% (11/89) vs 9% (16/178);p=0.39 was similar in both the groups. Patient survival was similar in both the groups i.e.95.5% but death censored graft loss was significantly more in ABOi group 0.9% (8/89) as compared ABOc group 0.3% (5/178) p=0.03. Reason of graft loss in all the patients was immunological and not infection. Infection was cause for death in three ABOi patients and four ABOc patients. Conclusions: Overall incidence of infections in ABOi transplants was similar to Abo compatible transplant. Incidence of UTIs and CMV infections were significantly higher in ABOi group. No conflict of interest