Clinical usefulness of human cytomegalovirus antigenemia assay after kidney transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Human (H) cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among kidney transplants. We performed a prospective study to evaluate the clinical usefulness of HCMV antigenemia assay for preemptive treatment after kidney transplantation.


METHODS
A total of 100 patients were followed up by HCMV antigenemia assay at posttransplantation weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 13, 17, and 21. Asymptomatic patients with positive antigenemia were observed without specific antiviral therapy.


RESULTS
Most patients had been given cyclosporine A- and prednisolone-based immunosuppressive therapy (99.0%) and were HCMV seropositive before transplantation (99.0%). A positive antigenemia assay was detected in 41 patients among 97 eligible patients. Symptomatic CMV diseases were observed in 10 of 41 patients. HCMV infections were related to history of acute rejection and use of antithymocyte globulin. HCMV-related symptoms and signs were clearly correlated with the level of antigenemia. All patients who had an HCMV antigenemia titer of higher than 50 per 400,000 leukocytes developed HCMV-related symptoms and signs during the follow-up period. This criterion showed the highest positive predictive value and specificity in the development of symptomatic HCMV infection.


CONCLUSIONS
Data suggest that HCMV antigenemia titer can be used as a useful guide to preemptive treatment of HCMV infection after kidney transplantation in HCMV-positive donor and recipient.
Kim
Choon Kwan
CK
Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul Veterans Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Song
Jae-Hoon
JH
Kim
Sung-min
SM
Peck
Kyong Ran
KR
Oh
Wonsup
W
Huh
Wooseong
W
Kim
Yoon-Goo
YG
Kim
Sung Joo
SJ
Joh
Jae Won
JW
Lee
Nam Yong
NY
Park
Chung-Gyu
CG
Hwang
Eung-Soo
ES
Cha
Chang-Yong
CY
Oh
Ha-Young
HY
D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D002648:Child; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine