Alemtuzumab (Campath 1H) as successful salvage therapy for recurrent steroid-resistant heart transplant rejection.
We report the case of a heart transplant recipient who presented twice in profound cardiogenic shock at Months 4 and 8 post-transplant. She had unsuccessful conventional rejection therapy, but responded dramatically to alemtuzumab salvage therapy. Both times, her recovery onset was strikingly parallel to that described after using alemtuzumab as salvage therapy in renal transplantation. The reported use of alemtuzumab in thoracic organ transplant is rare. We believe this is the first reported case of alemtuzumab as salvage therapy in heart transplantation.
Woodside
Kenneth J
KJ
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555-0528, USA.
Lick
Scott D
SD
D000328:Adult; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D013256:Steroids / Q000494:pharmacology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D013256:Steroids; D000074323:Alemtuzumab