Outcomes of Hepatitis C-Positive Kidney Transplant Recipients Compared With Hepatitis C-Negative Recipients in Today's Era of Immunosuppression: A UNOS Database Analysis With Long-Term Follow-Up.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to study the clinico-pathologic correlations in BK virus nephropathy.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective study of all patients with biopsy-proven polyoma (BK) virus infection. We compared their survival and renal outcomes versus BK virus-negative patients with biopsy-proven graft rejection. Histopathologic characterization by a blinded nephropathologist was performed.


RESULTS
BK nephropathy was found in 10 patients biopsied for graft dysfunction. All virus-positive patients received antithymocyte globulin induction therapy compared with only 59.3% of the BK-negative group (P = .06). The percentage of patients in the BK-negative group who received acyclovir was significantly higher than that in the BK-positive group (P = .01). After a mean observation period of 6.8 ± 3.2 years, 70% of the BK group had functioning grafts compared with 68% in the BK-negative group (P = .9) with similar 3-year graft survival in the 2 groups (80% and 90%; P = .8). Within the BK group, graft survival was better in the older group (P = .005) and in those with deceased donor kidney grafts (P = .016). Patients in the BK-negative group were heavier (mean weight of 64.3 ± 12.1 vs 46.7 ± 20.6 kg; P = .003). None of the histopathologic features studied had any effect on renal prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The risk factors for developing BK nephropathy were use of antithymocyte globulin, lower weight, and not using acyclovir as early prophylaxis. Within the BK nephropathy group, better graft survival was observed in deceased donor kidney recipients and in older patients. The viral load and polyoma virus nephropathy stage did not affect graft survival in this small sample study.
From the Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
Ali
A
Khalil
Muhammed A
MA
Mujtaba
Omar T
OT
Aljanabi
Marwan S
MS
Ghabril
Tim E
TE
Taber
Muhammed S
MS
Yaqub
Asif
A
Sharfuddin
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology; D006085:Graft Survival; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents