Successful treatment of acute humoral rejection in a heart transplant patient.
Eight months after undergoing orthotopic heart transplantation, a patient had hypotension and biventricular heart failure. Endomyocardial biopsy specimens showed a modest cellular infiltrate, predominantly of plasma cells, and progressive myocyte injury, suggesting a humoral rejection process. The patient was treated with Minnesota antilymphoblast globulin and aggressively with plasmapheresis, resulting in evidence of myocyte repair, improved hemodynamics, and long-term survival.
Malafa
M
M
Department of Surgery, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo 43699-0008.
Mancini
M C
MC
Myles
J L
JL
Gohara
A
A
Dickinson
J M
JM
Walsh
T E
TE
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000276:immunology; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001706:Biopsy; D004699:Endocardium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D010956:Plasmapheresis
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents