The incidence of infectious diseases after renal transplantation: a single-centre experience.

This single-centre study was designed to investigate the incidence of infections and their causative pathogens during the first three months after renal transplantation (RTx) in patients who had undergone the procedure in 2005 (n=174). We compared this group of patients with a previous one (1998-2000, n=437). In 2005, infection was diagnosed in 82 patients (47%). Symptomatic lower urinary tract infection (UTI) was present in 43 patients (25%), pyelonephritis in 15 (8.6%), and urosepsis in 7 (4%). Wound infection developed in 21 patients (12%), cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in 15 (8.6%), and pneumonia in 5 (3%). The most frequent pathogens in UTI were Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecalis. Pathogens of wound infection included Staphylococcus coagulase negative and K. pneumoniae. Pneumonia was frequently caused by Mycoplasma pneumophila. Compared with the previous group, we noted decreases in the total number of infections (77.7 vs. 47%, P<0.001), pneumonia (8.5 vs. 3%, P<0.02) and UTI (33.3 vs. 24.7%, P<0.05). We observed an increased incidence of multiresistant Klebsiella. Based on these results, we have changed our scheme of antibiotic prophylaxis and the algorithms of antibiotic treatment. We reduced the use of antibiotics with an adverse epidemiological effect (quinolones, third-generation cephalosporins) and increased the use of relatively safe antibiotics (penicillins, aminopenicillins, with and without beta-lactam inhibitors).

[Acute humoral rejection of renal transplant]. / Akutní humorální rejekce transplantované ledviny.

Acute humoral rejection (AHR) is a rare complication which often results in the loss of kidney graft. The objective of this retrospective monocentric study was to evaluate two different approaches to AHR. Documentation of 730 patients was analysed, who underwent renal transplantation between 2002 and 2005. From 2002 to 2003, patients with AHR were treated with 5 plasmaphereses (PF group, n = 13), and from 2004 to 2005 with a combination of 5 PF and intravenous immunoglobulins (PF + IVIG, 0.5 g/kg, n = 8). Data for the period of one year post-transplant was analysed. AHR occurred in 21 out of 730 patients (2.9%). Survival of grafts in the 6th month and in the 1st year was significantly higher for the PF + IVIG group than for the PF group only (p < 0.05). Patient survival was similar in both groups. The incidence of infectious complications was similar in both groups. There was a higher incidence of acute cellular rejections in the PF group (46.2 vs. 14.3%) in control rebiopsies (performed due to deteriorated graft function or in order to check the efficiency of the treatment). It can be concluded that acute humoral rejection of transplanted kidney is a rare complication which can be treated by the combination of plasmaphereses and intravenous immunoglobulins.

[Urinary infections in patients with urologic complications after kidney transplantation]. / Mocová infekce u jedincu po transplantaci ledviny s urologickou komplikací.

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are the most frequent infectious complications after renal transplantation (Tx). We tried to analyse whether the urinary tract infection was one of the factors which participated in the lower allograft survival rates and in the reduced allograft function in urologically complicated (UC) patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We observed 77 patients after Tx whom 42 had urinary fistula, 32 had urinary tract dilatation a 3 suffered from both complications. They were observed from January 1992 through December 1999. 100 patients without urological complications represented a control group (N). Obtained data was statistically evaluated using t-test, chi 2-test, correlation analysis. Graft and patient survival rates were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. We have found that UC patients after Tx had worse renal function compared with patients not suffering from this complications. Using Kaplan-Meier methods we have found that graft survival rate in patients with UC is significantly lower than that in the control group (5-year graft survival 0.6 vs 0.82, p < 0.01). On the other hand there were no differences in the 5-year patients survival rate between the followed groups of patients (0.74 vs 0.83). There was no significant correlation between predicted creatinine clearance and followed indicators of UTI--total time of positive urine bacterial cultivation, number of infectious periods and total time of antibiotic therapy. There were no significant differences in graft survival during 5 years between patients with UTI and control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that patients with UC are at increased risk of urinary tract infection. Our findings are in keeping with the assumption that UTI in patients with UC do not significantly participate in the decreased level of graft function and in the shorter graft survival rates.

[The urinary tract in graft recipients and urologic complications after kidney transplantation]. / Vývodné mocové cesty príjemce a urologické komplikace po transplantaci ledviny.

BACKGROUND: Urological complications after renal transplantation condition reduce graft survival and function. It may be assumed that an important part, in addition to technical factors during removal and implantation of the organ may be played also by factors of the recipient. The authors investigated whether in the development of some urological complications (urinary fistulae and urinary tract dilatation) also pathological changes of the urinary tract of the recipient, kidney diseases leading to renal failure or the development of urinary flow rate during the first days after transplantation of the kidney participate. METHODS AND RESULTS: The authors investigated 77 patients after renal transplantation where during the period from Jan. 1992 till Dec. 1996 a urinary fistula developed (42 cases), dilatation of the urinary tract (32) or both complications (3). The control group was formed by 100 patients without urological complications who did not differ as to demographic data, basic immunosuppressive treatment and who had transplantations during the same period and by the same surgical techniques. The assembled data were evaluated statistically, the two groups being compared by means of t-test, chi 2 test and the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test resp. The authors investigated factors which might participate in the quality of the recipient urinary tract, in particular the recipient's age. In the group of urologically complicated cases there were significantly (p < 0.05) more patients above 55 years. There were also more males (67.5% vs. 32.5%, p < 0.05). In further factors such as the ratio of BMI ratio or the underlying kidney disease leading to renal failure and the presence of diabetes mellitus the authors did not record significant differences. The residual urinary flow rate, duration of dialysis treatment before transplantation and the number of transplantations did not differ significantly. The authors tried to evaluate the possible influence of urinary flow rate on the development of urological complications after transplantation of the kidney. CONCLUSIONS: The assembled findings support the idea that the development of a urinary fistula or dilatation of the urinary tract were not significantly influenced by changes in the urinary tract of the recipient conditioned by the period of the reduced function, as may be assumed on the basis of the time of dialysis treatment. The development of the investigated urological complications was not significantly influenced by the presence of underlying kidney diseases nor by increased urinary flow rate during the first days after transplantation. The authors did not confirm the risk of re-transplantation. An significant effect on the development of urological complications could be exerted by male sex and age above 55 years.

[Hypernatraemia, increased protein intake and progression of renal insufficiency in a patient with polycystic renal degeneration]. / Hypernatrémie, zvýsený príjem proteinu a progrese renální insuficience u nemocného s polycystickou degenerací ledvin.

The authors submit the case of a patient with polycystic degeneration of the kidneys where after haemorrhage from the anterior cerebral artery hypernatraemia developed and concurrently significant acceleration in the progression of renal insufficiency to failure developed. Hypernatraemia was caused by non-natrium osmotic diuresis conditioned by increased urea excretion. In chronological association with increased dietary protein intake renal insufficiency was hastened.

Urinary tract infection in patients with urological complications after renal transplantation with respect to long-term function and allograft survival.

Urological complications after renal transplantation (urinary fistula, urinary tract dilatation) are frequently associated with urinary tract infections (UTI). We tried to analyse whether urinary tract infection was one of the factors which participated in the lower allograft survival rates and reduced allograft function in urologically complicated (UC) patients. We observed 77 patients after renal transplantation (Tx) of whom 42 had urinary fistula, 32 had urinary tract dilatation a 3 had both complications (I/1992-XII/1996). 100 patients without urological complications represented a control group (N). Obtained data was statistically evaluated using t-test, chi 2-test, correlation analysis. Graft and patient survival rates were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. We have found that UC patients after Tx had a worse renal function compared with patients not suffering from this complication. Using Kaplan-Meier methods we have found that graft survival rate in patients with UC is significantly lower than that in the control group (5-year graft survival 0.6 vs 0.82, p < 0.01). On the other hand there were no differences in the 5-year patients survival rate between the followed groups of patients (0.74 vs 0.83). There was no significant correlation between predicted creatinine clearance and followed indicators of UTI--total time of positive urine bacterial cultivation, number of infectious periods and total time of antibiotic therapy. There were no significant differences in graft survival during 5 years between patients with UTI and without UTI. Our results suggest that patients with UC are at increased risk of urinary tract infection. Our findings are in keeping with the assumption that UTI in patients with UC do not significantly participate in the decreased level of graft function and the shorter graft survival rates.