Cytomegalovirus and paediatric renal transplants: is this a current issue?

OBJECTIVE: An observational retrospective multicentre study of kidney transplants in paediatric patients was performed to evaluate the current situation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in this population, before our participation in an international clinical trial of prophylaxis for 6 months. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Our study included 239 patients aged <19 years, from 5 Spanish centres between 2005-2009, with 1 year of follow-up. RESULTS: Pretransplant CMV serology was negative in 54% of recipients and 34.7% of donors. Sixty patients (25.1%) were considered at high risk (D+/R-) for CMV infection. Prophylaxis was used in 80.8% of recipients, including all high-risk patients, for an average time of 65.5 days. CMV viraemia occurred in 24.26% (58 cases among 239 patients), and disease in 6.7%. CMV infection was associated with serological status (D/R) (P<.001), positive serology of the donor (P<.001) and duration of prophylaxis <20 days (P<.05). There were no cases of patient or graft loss secondary to infection, nor resistance to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The main preventative strategy against CMV in paediatric renal transplantation in our country is chemical prophylaxis (81%), with an incidence of infection and disease of 24% and 6.7%, respectively. There were no serious direct or indirect effects in the first year post-transplant. The incidence is mainly linked with serological D/R and positive donor status.

Citomegalovirus y trasplante renal pediátrico: ¿es un problema actualmente? / Cytomegalovirus and paediatric renal transplants: is this a current issue?

Objetivo: Estudio retrospectivo observacional multicéntrico de los pacientes trasplantados renales pediátricos, para conocer la situación actual frente al citomegalovirus (CMV), antes de participar en un ensayo clínico internacional de profilaxis durante 6 meses. Material y métodos: Se incluyen 239 pacientes menores de 19 años, procedentes de 5 centros entre 2005-2009, con seguimiento de 1 año. Resultados: La serología frente al CMV era negativa en 54 % de los receptores y 34,7 % de los donantes. Sesenta pacientes (25,1 %) fueron considerados de alto riesgo [Donante (D)+/Receptor (R)-] para infección por CMV. El 80,8 % realizó algún tipo de profilaxis, incluyendo todos los pacientes de alto riesgo, un tiempo medio de 65,5 días. La incidencia de positivización de CMV fue del 24,26 % (58 pacientes de los 239 trasplantados), con una incidencia de enfermedad del 6,7 %. La infección por CMV se asociaba con el estatus serológico (D/R) (p < 0,001), con la seropositividad del donante (p < 0,001) y con un tiempo de profilaxis < 20 días (p < 0,05). No hubo ningún caso de éxitus o pérdida del injerto secundaria a la infección, ni de resistencia al tratamiento. Conclusiones: La principal estrategia preventiva frente al CMV en el trasplante renal pediátrico en nuestro país es la quimioprofilaxis (81 %), con una incidencia de CMV del 24 % y de enfermedad del 6,7%, sin graves efectos directos ni indirectos en el primer año postrasplante. Su incidencia está relacionada, fundamentalmente, con el estatus serológico D/R y con la seropositividad del donante (AU)

Objective: An observational retrospective multicentre study of kidney transplants in paediatric patients was performed to evaluate the current situation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in this population, before our participation in an international clinical trial of prophylaxis for 6 months. Material and method: Our study included 239 patients aged <19 years, from 5 Spanish centres between 2005-2009, with 1 year of follow-up. Results: Pretransplant CMV serology was negative in 54% of recipients and 34.7% of donors. Sixty patients (25.1%) were considered at high risk (D+/R-) for CMV infection. Prophylaxis was used in 80.8% of recipients, including all high-risk patients, for an average time of 65.5 days. CMV viraemia occurred in 24.26% (58 cases among 239 patients), and disease in 6.7%. CMV infection was associated with serological status (D/R) (P<.001), positive serology of the donor (P<.001) and duration of prophylaxis <20 days (P<.05). There were no cases of patient or graft loss secondary to infection, nor resistance to treatment. Conclusions: The main preventative strategy against CMV in paediatric renal transplantation in our country is chemical prophylaxis (81%), with an incidence of infection and disease of 24% and 6.7%, respectively. There were no serious direct or indirect effects in the first year post-transplant. The incidence is mainly linked with serological D/R and positive donor status (AU)