title: HIV-infected kidney graft recipients managed with an early corticosteroid withdrawal protocol: clinical outcomes and messenger RNA profiles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The outcome of HIV-infected kidney transplant recipients managed with an early corticosteroid withdrawal protocol is not known.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven consecutive HIV-infected patients with undetectable plasma HIV RNA and more than 200/mm CD4 T cells underwent deceased-donor (n=8) or living-donor (n=3) kidney transplantation at our center. All were managed with an early corticosteroid withdrawal protocol; 9 of 11 received antithymocyte globulin and 2 received basiliximab induction. We analyzed patient and graft outcomes, acute rejection rate, HIV progression, BKV replication, infections, and urinary cell mRNA profiles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median (range) follow-up was 44.5 (26-73) months. The incidence of acute rejection was 9% at 1 year and the patient and allograft survival rates were 100% and 91%, respectively. Estimated glomerular filtration rate at 1 year (mean ± SD) was 78 ± 39 mL/min/1.73 m. Plasma HIV RNA was undetectable at 24 months and none had BKV replication. Six of the 11 kidney recipients developed eight infections requiring hospitalization. Urinary cell levels of mRNA for complement components and complement regulatory proteins, cell lineage-specific proteins CD3, CD4, CD8, CTLA4, Foxp3, chemokine IP-10, cytotoxic perforin and granzyme B, and BKV VP1 mRNA were not different (P>0.05) between HIV-infected patients and HIV-negative recipients (n=22) with stable graft function and normal biopsy results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An early steroid withdrawal regimen with antithymocyte globulin induction was associated with excellent graft and patient outcomes in HIV-infected recipients of kidney allografts. Their urinary cell mRNA profiles are indistinguishable from those of HIV-negative patients with stable graft function and normal biopsy results.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. muthu@med.cornell.edu
authors.forename: Thangamani
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Muthukumar
authors.forename: Cheguevara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Afaneh
authors.forename: Ruchuang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Demetra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsapepas
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lubetzky
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Darshana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dadhania
authors.forename: Choli
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hartono
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: Meredith
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aull
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leeser
authors.forename: Sandip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kapur
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Serur
authors.forename: Manikkam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suthanthiran
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001739:BK Virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000652:urine*; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016559:Tacrolimus