title: Immune tolerance after total lymphoid irradiation for heart transplantation: immunosuppressant-free survival for 8 years.
abstract: A 51-year-old African American man underwent orthotopic heart transplantation in 1995 for post-viral cardiomyopathy. Refractory rejection occurred, and he subsequently required total lymphoid irradiation to prevent further rejection. Disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex developed in 2000, and the patient decided to discontinue all drugs after the antibiotics caused intolerable medication side effects. The patient did not subsequently die of rejection, and he was discovered to have profound suppression of several lymphocytes subsets, presumably from the previous total lymphoid irradiation. This induced immunotolerance appears to have enabled his prolonged immunosuppressant-free survival.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA. GComerci@salud.unm.edu
authors: George D
authors: GD
authors: Comerci
authors: Thomas M
authors: TM
authors: Williams
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Kellie
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000601:surgery; D000075202:Contraindications; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015182:Lymphatic Irradiation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents