ABSTRACT
To assess the significance of antibodies detected by complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), solid phase (SPA) and flow cytometry (FC) assays we compared their predictive value in 354 consecutive cases of deceased-donor kidney transplantation. Pre-transplantation screening of anti-HLA class I and class II antibodies was performed by CDC and SPA. The direct crossmatch between recipients' sera and donors' T and B cells was performed by CDC followed by FC and SPA ("virtual cross-match"). The past history of antibodies displayed by the recipient was not considered a contraindication for transplantation even when it showed DSA. A side-by-side comparison of the correlation between graft loss, history of DSA and cross-match results indicated that sensitivity was 5%, 16% and 17% while specificity was 99%, 93% and 86% in CDC, SPA, FC crossmatches respectively. There was no significant difference between the 3 year survival of primary and secondary kidney allografts. We conclude that screening and cross-matching the sera by CDC provides reliable results and optimizes the patient's chances to receive a transplant. SPA and FC, however, are of great importance for identifying patients which require close monitoring by biopsy and serology for early diagnosis and treatment of acute antibody mediated rejection (AAMR).
Subject(s)
Graft Rejection/immunology , Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/immunology , Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/immunology , Histocompatibility Testing/methods , Isoantibodies/blood , Kidney Transplantation/immunology , Adrenal Cortex Hormones/administration & dosage , Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use , Adult , Aged , Cadaver , Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic , Female , Flow Cytometry , Graft Rejection/drug therapy , Graft Rejection/mortality , Graft Survival/immunology , Humans , Immunosuppression Therapy , Kidney Transplantation/mortality , Male , Middle Aged , Mycophenolic Acid/administration & dosage , Mycophenolic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Mycophenolic Acid/therapeutic use , Predictive Value of Tests , Sensitivity and Specificity , Tacrolimus/administration & dosage , Tacrolimus/therapeutic useABSTRACT
The predictive value of random urine sample during outpatient visit to predict persistent microalbuminuria was studied in 76 Type 1, insulin-dependent diabetic subjects, 61 Type 2, non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects, and 72 Type 2, insulin-treated diabetic subjects. Seventy-six patients attended outpatient clinic during morning, and 133 during afternoon. Microalbuminuria was suspected if Urinary Albumin Excretion (UAE) exceeded 20 mg/l. All patients were hospitalized within 6 months following outpatient visit, and persistent microalbuminuria was assessed then if UAE was between 30 and 300 mg/24 h on 2-3 occasions in 3 urines samples. Of these 209 subjects eighty-three were also screened with Microbumintest (Ames-Bayer), a semi-quantitative method. Among the 209 subjects, 71 were positive both for microalbuminuria during outpatient visit and a persistent microalbuminuria during hospitalization: sensitivity 91.0%, specificity 83.2%, concordance 86.1%, and positive predictive value 76.3% (chi-squared test: 191; p less than 10(-4)). Data were not different for subjects examined on morning, or on afternoon. Among the 83 subjects also screened with Microbumintest, 22 displayed both a positive reaction and a persistent microalbuminuria: sensitivity 76%, specificity 81%, concordance 80%, and positive predictive value 69% (chi-squared test: 126; p less than 10(-4)). Both types of screening appeared equally effective during outpatient visit. Hence, a persistent microalbuminuria can be predicted during an outpatient visit in a diabetic clinic.
