Future of non-invasive graft evaluation:A systematic review of proteomics in kidney transplantation

BACKGROUND Despite the developments in the field of kidney transplantation,the already existing diagnostic techniques for patient monitoring are considered insufficient.Protein biomarkers that can be derived from modern approaches of proteomic analysis of liquid biopsies(serum,urine)represent a promising innovation in the monitoring of kidney transplant recipients.AIM To investigate the diagnostic utility of protein biomarkers derived from proteomics approaches in renal allograft assessment.METHODS A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines,based on research results from the PubMed and Scopus databases.The primary focus was on evaluating the role of biomarkers in the non-invasive diagnosis of transplant-related com-plications.Eligibility criteria included protein biomarkers and urine and blood samples,while exclusion criteria were language other than English and the use of low resolution and sensitivity methods.The selected research articles,were categorized based on the biological sample,condition and methodology and the significantly and reproducibly differentiated proteins were manually selected and extracted.Functional and network analysis of the selected proteins was performed.RESULTS In 17 included studies,58 proteins were studied,with the cytokine CXCL10 being the most investigated.Biological pathways related to immune response and fibrosis have shown to be enriched.Applications of biomarkers for the assessment of renal damage as well as the prediction of short-term and long-term function of the graft were reported.Overall,all studies have shown satisfactory diagnostic accuracy of proteins alone or in combination with conventional methods,as far as renal graft assessment is concerned.CONCLUSION Our review suggests that protein biomarkers,evaluated in specific biological fluids,can make a significant contribution to the timely,valid and non-invasive assessment of kidney graft.

Expanding role of antibodies in kidney transplantation

The role of antibodies in kidney transplant(KT)has evolved significantly over the past few decades.This role of antibodies in KT is multifaceted,encompassing both the challenges they pose in terms of antibody-mediated rejection(AMR)and the opportunities for improving transplant outcomes through better detection,prevention,and treatment strategies.As our understanding of the immunological mechanisms continues to evolve,so too will the approaches to managing and harnessing the power of antibodies in KT,ultimately leading to improved patient and graft survival.This narrative review explores the multifaceted roles of antibodies in KT,including their involvement in rejection mechanisms,advancements in desensitization protocols,AMR treatments,and their potential role in monitoring and improving graft survival.

Preemptive living donor kidney transplantation:Access,fate,and review of the status in

BACKGROUND Preemptive living donor kidney transplantation(PLDKT)is recommended as the optimal treatment for end-stage renal disease.AIM To assess the rate of PLDKT among patients who accessed KT in our center and review the status of PLDKT in Egypt.METHODS We performed a retrospective review of the patients who accessed KT in our center from November 2015 to November 2022.In addition,the PLDKT status in Egypt was reviewed relative to the literature.RESULTS Of the 304 patients who accessed KT,32 patients(10.5%)had preemptive access to KT(PAKT).The means of age and estimated glomerular filtration rate were 31.7±13 years and 12.8±3.5 mL/min/1.73 m2,respectively.Fifty-nine patients had KT,including 3 PLDKTs only(5.1%of total KTs and 9.4%of PAKT).Twenty-nine patients(90.6%)failed to receive PLDKT due to donor unavailability(25%),exclusion(28.6%),regression from donation(3.6%),and patient regression on starting dialysis(39.3%).In multivariate analysis,known primary kidney disease(P=0.002),patient age(P=0.031)and sex(P=0.001)were independent predictors of achievement of KT in our center.However,PAKT was not significantly(P=0.065)associated with the achievement of KT.Review of the literature revealed lower rates of PLDKT in Egypt than those in the literature.CONCLUSION Patient age,sex,and primary kidney disease are independent predictors of achieving living donor KT.Despite its non-significant effect,PAKT may enhance the low rates of PLDKT.The main causes of non-achievement of PLDKT were patient regression on starting regular dialysis and donor unavailability or exclusion.

Supportive care in transplantation: A patient-centered care model to better support kidney transplant candidates and recipients

Kidney transplantation(KT),although the best treatment option for eligible patients,entails maintaining and adhering to a life-long treatment regimen of medications,lifestyle changes,self-care,and appointments.Many patients experience uncertain outcome trajectories increasing their vulnerability and symptom burden and generating complex care needs.Even when transplants are successful,for some patients the adjustment to life post-transplant can be challenging and psychological difficulties,economic challenges and social isola-tion have been reported.About 50%of patients lose their transplant within 10 years and must return to dialysis or pursue another transplant or conservative care.This paper documents the complicated journey patients undertake before and after KT and outlines some initiatives aimed at improving patient-centered care in transplantation.A more cohesive approach to care that borrows its philosophical approach from the established field of supportive oncology may improve patient experiences and outcomes.We propose the"supportive care in transplantation"care model to operationalize a patient-centered approach in transplantation.This model can build on other ongoing initiatives of other scholars and researchers and can help advance patient-centered care through the entire care continuum of kidney transplant recipients and candidates.Multi-dimensionality,multi-disciplinarity and evidence-based approaches are proposed as other key tenets of this care model.We conclude by proposing the potential advantages of this approach to patients and healthcare systems.Core Tip:Kidney transplant recipients and candidates face several uncertainties in their care journey and have several expressed unmet healthcare needs.We recommend a structured and comprehensive approach to transplant care across the entire continuum of a transplant patient’s journey similar to what has been developed in the field of oncology.The supportive care in transplantation model can operationalize patient-centered care and build on the efforts of other researchers in the field.We postulate that such a model would significantly improve care delivery and patients’experiences and outcomes and potentially decrease healthcare utilization and cost.INTRODUCTION Patients with kidney failure benefit from(KT)[1,2],and experience improved survival rates when compared with dialysis[3-6].KT studies,using validated instruments,have also consistently demonstrated that kidney transplant recipients(KTRs)experience better health-related quality of life and several improvements in other disease-specific domains when compared with dialysis[7].In countries where dialysis is out of reach for many,the diagnosis of kidney failure would be futile without KT[8].Thus,increasing KT has been a priority for the nephrology and transplant communities.This priority has been reflected in recent global trends:Of the 79 countries where data were available,the International Society of Nephrology’s Global Kidney Atlas reported that the prevalence of KTRs in 2023 was 279 per million population which represented an increase of 9.4%from the data published four years prior[8].Despite this growth,KT can be a challenging journey for many patients and it is sometimes regarded as a‘cure’,which does not conform with the reality that many patients experience[9-13].KTRs must maintain a life-long treatment regimen of medications,lifestyle changes,self-care and medical appointments[14-17].As poignantly stated by a young female transplant recipient,“I thought everything would change once I got my kidney.I thought I would be healthy again”but after experiencing multiple side effects of immunosuppressive medications and graft loss,she stated,“I am just a different kind of patient now”[18].Indeed,a significant proportion of patients experience graft failure and return to dialysis;it is estimated that over 50%return to dialysis within 10 years of KT[19-23].Patients are often not prepared for this outcome and report several psychosocial and physical ramifications of graft failure[24,25].Overall,high symptom burden,adverse effects of immunosuppressants,risk of graft rejection or failure and mortality,contribute to complex needs,vulnerability and uncertainties for patients,increasing their care needs and treatment burden[26-30].In this paper,we highlight the complex journey that KTRs and candidates undertake that can generate varied outcome trajectories and complex healthcare needs.We highlight the need for a comprehensive patient-centered approach to care and conclude with a proposal for a“supportive care in transplantation”care model.

Update on the reciprocal interference between immunosuppressive therapy and gut microbiota after kidney transplantation

Gut microbiota is often modified after kidney transplantation.This principally happens in the first period after transplantation.Antibiotics and,most of all,immunosuppressive drugs are the main responsible.The relationship between immunosuppressive drugs and the gut microbiota is bilateral.From one side immunosuppressive drugs modify the gut microbiota,often generating dysbiosis;from the other side microbiota may interfere with the immunosuppressant pharmacokinetics,producing products more or less active with respect to the original drug.These phenomena have influence over the graft outcomes and clinical consequences as rejections,infections,diarrhea may be caused by the dysbiotic condition.Corticosteroids,calcineurin inhibitors such as tacrolimus and cyclosporine,mycophenolate mofetil and mTOR inhibitors are the immunosuppressive drugs whose effect on the gut microbiota is better known.In contrast is well known how the gut microbiota may interfere with glucocorticoids,which may be transformed into androgens.Tacrolimus may be transformed by microbiota into a product called M1 that is 15-fold less active with respect to tacrolimus.The pro-drug mycophenolate mofetil is normally transformed in mycophenolic acid that according the presence or not of microbes producing the enzyme glucuronidase,may be transformed into the inactive product.

Predicting outcomes after kidney transplantation: Can Pareto’s rules help us to do so?

Kidney transplantation is the best option for kidney replacement therapy,even considering that most of the times the grafts do not survive as long as their recipients.In the Khalil et al's experience,published in this issue of the Journal,they analyze their second kidney graft survival and describe those significant predictors of early loss.This editorial comments on the results and put in perspective that most of the times,long-term graft survival could be inadvertently jeopardized if the immunosuppressive therapy is reduced or withdrawn for any reason,and that it could happen frequently if the transplant physician intends to innovate with the clinical care without proper evidence-based data.

Challenges to establishing and maintaining kidney transplantation programs in developing countries:What are the coping strategies?

Kidney transplantation(KT)is the optimal form of renal replacement therapy for patients with end-stage renal diseases.However,this health service is not available to all patients,especially in developing countries.The deceased donor KT programs are mostly absent,and the living donor KT centers are scarce.Single-center studies presenting experiences from developing countries usually report a variety of challenges.This review addresses these challenges and the opposing strategies by reviewing the single-center experiences of developing countries.The financial challenges hamper the infrastructural and material availability,coverage of transplant costs,and qualification of medical personnel.The sociocultural challenges influence organ donation,equity of beneficence,and regular follow-up work.Low interests and motives for transplantation may result from high medicolegal responsibilities in KT practice,intense potential psychosocial burdens,complex qualification protocols,and low productivity or compensation for KT practice.Low medical literacy about KT advantages is prevalent among clinicians,patients,and the public.The inefficient organizational and regulatory oversight is translated into inefficient healthcare systems,absent national KT programs and registries,uncoordinated job descriptions and qualification protocols,uncoordinated on-site investigations with regulatory constraints,and the prevalence of commercial KT practices.These challenges resulted in noticeable differences between KT services in developed and developing countries.The coping strategies can be summarized in two main mechanisms:The first mechanism is maximizing the available resources by increasing the rates of living kidney donation,promoting the expertise of medical personnel,reducing material consumption,and supporting the establishment and maintenance of KT programs.The latter warrants the expansion of the public sector and the elimination of non-ethical KT practices.The second mechanism is recruiting external resources,including financial,experience,and training agreements.

Predictors of graft function and survival in second kidney transplantation: A single center experience

BACKGROUND The increasing kidney retransplantation rate has created a parallel field of research,including the risk factors and outcomes of this advanced form of renal replacement therapy.The presentation of experiences from different kidney transplantation centers may help enrich the literature on kidney retransplantation,as a specific topic in the field of kidney transplantation.AIM To identify the risk factors affecting primary graft function and graft survival rates after second kidney transplantation(SKT).METHODS The records of SKT cases performed between January 1977 and December 2014 at a European tertiary-level kidney transplantation center were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.Beside the descriptive characteristics,the survivals of patients and both the first and second grafts were described using Kaplan-Meier curves.In addition,Kaplan-Meier analyses were also used to estimate the survival probabilities at 1,3,5,and 10 post-operative years,as well as at the longest followup duration available.Moreover,bivariate associations between various predictors and the categorical outcomes were assessed,using the suitable biostatistical tests,according to the predictor type.RESULTS Out of 1861 cases of kidney transplantation,only 48 cases with SKT were eligible for studying,including 33 men and 15 women with a mean age of 42.1±13 years.The primary non-function(PNF)graft occurred in five patients(10.4%).In bivariate analyses,a high body mass index(P=0.009)and first graft loss due to acute rejection(P=0.025)were the only significant predictors of PNF graft.The second graft survival was reduced by delayed graft function in the first(P=0.008)and second(P<0.001)grafts.However,the effect of acute rejection within the first year after the first transplant did not reach the threshold of significance(P=0.053).The mean follow-up period was 59.8±48.6 mo.Censored graft/patient survival rates at 1,3,5 and 10 years were 90.5%/97.9%,79.9%/95.6%,73.7%/91.9%,and 51.6%/83.0%,respectively.CONCLUSION Non-immediate recovery modes of the first and second graft functions were significantly associated with unfavorable second graft survival rates.Patient and graft survival rates of SKT were similar to those of the first kidney transplantation.

Kidney disease in non-kidney solid organ transplantation

Kidney disease after non-kidney solid organ transplantation(NKSOT)is a common post-transplant complication associated with deleterious outcomes.Kidney disease,both acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease(CKD)alike,emanates from multifactorial,summative pre-,peri-and post-transplant events.Several factors leading to kidney disease are shared amongst solid organ transplantation in addition to distinct mechanisms unique to individual transplant types.The aim of this review is to summarize the current literature describing kidney disease in NKSOT.We conducted a narrative review of pertinent studies on the subject,limiting our search to full text studies in the English language.Kidney disease after NKSOT is prevalent,particularly in intestinal and lung transplantation.Management strategies in the peri-operative and post-transplant periods including proteinuria management,calcineurin-inhibitor minimization/sparing approaches,and nephrology referral can counteract CKD progression and/or aid in subsequent kidney after solid organ transplantation.Kidney disease after NKSOT is an important consideration in organ allocation practices,ethics of transplantation.Kidney disease after SOT is an incipient condition demanding further inquiry.While some truths have been revealed about this chronic disease,as we have aimed to describe in this review,continued multidisciplinary efforts are needed more than ever to combat this threat to patient and allograft survival.

Clinical use of donor-derived cell-free DNA in kidney transplantation

Traditional monitoring of kidney transplant recipients for allograft dysfunction caused by rejection involves serial checks of serum creatinine with biopsy of the renal allograft if dysfunction is suspected.This approach is labor-intensive,invasive and costly.In addition,because this approach relies on a rise in serum creatinine above historical baselines,injury to the allograft can be extensive before this rise occurs.In an effort to address this,donor-derived cell-free DNA(dd-cf DNA)is being used with increasing frequency in the clinical setting as a means of diagnosing a rejection of the renal allograft early in the course.This can poten-tially allow for early intervention to minimize not only injury,but the intensity of antirejection therapy needed and the avoidance of side effects.Here,we will review the available methodology for the determination and quantification of dd-cf DNA,the data supporting its use in clinical practice and the limitations of this technology.

Kidney transplantation outcomes: Is it possible to improve when good results are falling down?

Famure et al describe that close to 50%of their patients needed early or very early hospital readmissions after their kidney transplantation.As they taught us the variables related to those outcomes,we describe eight teaching capsules that may go beyond what they describe in their article.First two capsules talk about the ideal donors and recipients we should choose for avoiding the risk of an early readmission.The third and fourth capsules tell us about the reality of cadaveric donors and recipients with comorbidities,and the way transplant physicians should choose them to maximize survival.Fifth capsule shows that any mistake can result in an early readmission,and thus,in poorer outcomes.Sixth capsule talks about economic losses of early readmissions,cost-effectiveness of tran-splantation,and how to improve outcomes and reduce costs by managing a risky patient-portfolio.Seventh capsule argues about knowing your risk behavior to better manage your portfolio;and Eighth capsule about the importance of the center experience in transplanting complex patients.We finish with some lessons of the importance of the transplantation process and the collaboration with other disciplines in order to prevent the conditions that lead to early readmissions.

Impact of Medicaid expansion on kidney transplantation in the State Oklahoma

BACKGROUND There is no data evaluating the impact of Medicaid expansion on kidney tran-splants(KT)in Oklahoma.AIM To investigate the impact of Medicaid expansion on KT patients in Oklahoma.METHODS The UNOS database was utilized to evaluate data pertaining to adult KT reci-pients in Oklahoma in the pre-and post-Medicaid eras.Bivariate analysis,Kaplan Meier analysis was used to estimate,and cox proportional models were utilized.RESULTS There were 2758 pre-and 141 recipients in the post-Medicaid expansion era.Post-expansion patients were more often non-United States citizens(2.3%vs 5.7%),American Indian,Alaskan,or Pacific Islander(7.8%vs 9.2%),Hispanic(7.4%vs 12.8%),or Asian(2.5%vs 8.5%)(P<0.0001).Waitlist time was shorter in the post-expansion era(410 vs 253 d)(P=0.0011).Living donor rates,pre-emptive transplants,re-do transplants,delayed graft function rates,kidney donor profile index values,panel reactive antibodies levels,and insurance types were similar.Patients with public insurance were more frail.Despite increased early(<6 months)rejection rates,1-year patient and graft survival were similar.In Cox proportional hazards model,male sex,American Indian,Alaskan or Pacific Islander race,public insurance,and frailty category were independent risk factors for death at 1 year.Medicaid expansion was not associated with graft failure or patient survival(adjusted hazard ratio:1.07;95%CI:0.26-4.41).CONCLUSION Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma is associated with increased KT access for non-White/non-Black and non-United States citizen patients with shorter wait times.1-year graft and patient survival rates were similar before and after expansion.Medicaid expansion itself was not independently associated with graft or patient survival outcomes.Ongoing research is necessary to determine the long-term effects of Medicaid expansion.

Thrombotic microangiopathy after kidney transplantation: Expanding etiologic and pathogenetic spectra

Thrombotic microangiopathy(TMA)is an uncommon but serious complication that not only affects native kidneys but also transplanted kidneys.This review is specifically focused on post-transplant TMA(PT-TMA)involving kidney transplant recipients.Its reported prevalence in the latter population varies from 0.8%to 14%with adverse impacts on both graft and patient survival.It has many causes and associations,and the list of etiologic agents and associations is growing constantly.The pathogenesis is equally varied and a variety of pathogenetic pathways lead to the development of microvascular injury as the final common pathway.PT-TMA is categorized in many ways in order to facilitate its management.Ironically,more than one causes are contributory in PT-TMA and it is often difficult to pinpoint one particular cause in an individual case.Pathologically,the hallmark lesions are endothelial cell injury and intravascular thrombi affecting the microvasculature.Early diagnosis and classification of PT-TMA are imperative for optimal outcomes but are challenging for both clinicians and pathologists.The Banff classification has addressed this issue and has developed minimum diagnostic criteria for pathologic diagnosis of PT-TMA in the first phase.Management of the condition is also challenging and still largely empirical.It varies from simple maneuvers,such as plasmapheresis,drug withdrawal or modification,or dose reduction,to lifelong complement blockade,which is very expensive.A thorough understanding of the condition is imperative for an early diagnosis and quick treatment when the treatment is potentially effective.This review aims to increase the awareness of relevant stakeholders regarding this important,potentially treatable but under-recognized cause of kidney allograft dysfunction.

Disorders of potassium homeostasis after kidney transplantation

Disturbances of potassium balance are often encountered when managing kidney transplant recipients(KTR).Both hyperkalemia and hypokalemia may present either as medical emergencies or chronic outpatient abnormalities.Despite the high incidence of hyperkalemia and its potential life-threatening implications,consensus on its management in KTR is lacking.Hypokalemia in KTR is also well-described,although it is given less attention by clinicians compared to hyper-kalemia.This article discusses the etiology,pathophysiology and management of both types of potassium disorders in KTR.Once any emergent situation has been corrected,treatment approaches include correcting insulin deficiency if present,adjusting non-immunosuppressive and immunosuppressive medications,elimi-nating or supplementing potassium as needed,and dietary counselling.Although commonly of multifactorial etiology,ascertaining the specific cause in a particular patient will help guide successful management.Monitoring KTR through regular laboratory testing is essential to detect serious disturbances in potassium balance since patients are often asymptomatic.

Small bowel obstruction caused by a bezoar following an adult simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation:A case report

BACKGROUND Small bowel obstructions(SBOs)are common following a large intra-abdominal operation;however,SBOs caused by bezoars are unreported in patients following liver-kidney transplantation procedures,particularly in adults.CASE SUMMARY A 65-year-old Caucasian female presented with nausea and nonbilious emesis during her postoperative course following a simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation.She developed worsening nausea and vomiting with significant abdominal distension and obstipation.Computed tomography imaging showed a marked abnormal dilation of multiple small bowel loops with a distinct transition point that was suggestive of a small bowel obstruction.An exploratory laparotomy revealed a foreign body in the intestinal track approximately 30 cm from the ileocecal valve.The foreign body was extracted and identified as a bezoar with hair follicles and old digestive contents.Following the operation,the patient demonstrated rapid clinical improvement with resolution of nausea,emesis,and progress in bowel motility.CONCLUSION SBOs caused by bezoars can occur immediately following a liver-kidney transplantation and should not be discounted as a diagnosis.

Impact of Vascular Variations on Living Donor Kidney Transplantation

Background: Kidney transplantation is the best treatment for end-stage chronic kidney disease. However, its realization is confronted by several difficulties among which are anatomical variations. Objective: The objective of our work was to describe the impact of renal pedicle variations on the operative procedure as well as the complications. Method: We conducted a retrospective study on living kidney donors and their recipients in the period from 2012 to 2017. Several variables were studied, in particular socio-demographic, operative and progression. Results: We identified 49 living donors whose mean age was 37.59 years with a male-to-female ratio of 3.9 and 45 ± 10.75 years in the recipients. The prevalence of renal vascular abnormalities was higher with a proportion of 46.94% in recipients. The left kidney was most frequently removed (75.51%) and then kept mainly in HTK (95.92%). These vascular anomalies were associated with a longer operating time but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.5804). They had no effect on hot and cold ischemia times (p = 0.9838, p = 0.8389). Complications were observed in 11 patients, all recipients, i.e. 11.22%, and were not related to the presence of vascular abnormalities (p = 0.086). We observed that 4.08% of deaths were all recipients. Conclusion: It seems that kidney transplantation with multiple renal arteries and/or veins does not significantly lengthen the operating time and does not promote the onset of complications.

Acute kidney injury and post-reperfusion syndrome in liver transplantation

In the past decades liver transplantation(LT) has become the treatment of choice for patients with end stage liver disease(ESLD). The chronic shortage of cadaveric organs for transplantation led to the utilization of a greater number of marginal donors such as older donors or donors after circulatory death(DCD). The improved survival of transplanted patients has increased the frequency of long-term complications, in particular chronic kidney disease(CKD). Acute kidney injury(AKI) post-LT has been recently recognized as an important risk factor for the occurrence of denovo CKD in the long-term outcome. The onset of AKI post-LT is multifactorial, with pre-LT risk factors involved, including higher Model for End-stage Liver Disease score, more sever ESLD and pre-existing renal dysfunction, either with intra-operative conditions, in particular ischaemia reperfusion injury responsible for post-reperfusion syndrome(PRS) that can influence recipient's morbidity and mortality. Post-reperfusion syndrome-induced AKI is an important complication post-LT that characterizes kidney involvement caused by PRS with mechanisms not clearly understood and implication on graft and patient survival. Since preLT risk factors may influence intra-operative events responsible for PRS-induced AKI, we aim to consider all the relevant aspects involved in PRS-induced AKI in the setting of LT and to identify all studies that better clarified the specific mechanisms linking PRS and AKI. A Pub Med search was conducted using the terms liver transplantation AND acute kidney injury; liver transplantation AND post-reperfusion syndrome; acute kidney injury AND post-reperfusion syndrome; acute kidney injury AND DCD AND liver transplantation. Five hundred seventy four articles were retrieved on Pub Med search. Results were limited to title/abstract of English-language articles published between 2000 and 2015. Twenty-three studies were identified that specifically evaluated incidence, risk factors and outcome for patients developing PRS-induced AKI in liver transplantation. In order to identify intra-operative risk factors/mechanisms specifically involved in PRSinduced AKI, avoiding confounding factors, we have limited our study to "acute kidney injury AND DCD AND liver transplantation". Accordingly, three out of five studies were selected for our purpose.

Combined liver and kidney transplantation in Guangzhou,China

BACKGROUND: When liver or kidney transplant can respectively cure end-stage liver or kidney disease, neither hepatic graft nor renal transplant alone can be used as a radical therapy for diseases which involve both liver and kidney. Combined liver and kidney transplantation commenced late in China, and the number of transplants has been limited. This study was designed to assess the effects of simultaneous combined liver and kidney transplantation (SLKT) on end-stage liver and kidney diseases. METHODS: Fifteen patients who had received SLKT from 1996 to 2006 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University were reviewed. They included 5 patients with polycystic liver and kidney, 5 patients with hepatic cirrhosis and renal failure, and 5 patients with fulminant hepatic failure and hepatorenal syndrome (11 men and 4 women; average age 43.5 years). All patients had combined liver and kidney transplantation. RESULTS: The 5 patients with polycystic liver and kidney have survived for more than one year after SLKT, and the longest survival has been 5 years. Three of the 5 patients with hepatic cirrhosis and renal failure have survived more than two years; one died perioperatively and the other died from recurrence of hepatitis B 18 months after the operation. Three of the 5 patients with fulminant hepatic failure and hepatorenal syndrome have survived for two years, and 2 died of multiple organ failure during the operation. CONCLUSIONS: SLKT is an effective therapy for end-stage liver and kidney disease but the indications of SLKT for hepatorenal syndrome should be strict. SLKT may immunologically protect the renal graft.

Gastrointestinal complications after kidney transplantation

Gastrointestinal complications are common after renal transplantation,and they have a wide clinical spectrum,varying from diarrhoea to post-transplant inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).Chronic immunosuppression may increase the risk of post-transplant infection and medication-related injury and may also be responsible for IBD in kidney transplant re-cipients despite immunosuppression.Differentiating the various forms of post-transplant colitis is challenging,since most have similar clinical and histological features.Drug-related colitis are the most frequently encountered colitis after kidney transplantation,particularly those related to the chronic use of mycophenolate mofetil,while de novo IBDs are quite rare.This review will explore colitis after kidney transplantation,with a particular focus on different clinical and histological features,attempting to clearly identify the right treatment,thereby improving the final outcome of patients.

Interferon-free regimens in patients with hepatitis C infection and renal dysfunction or kidney transplantation

Treatment of patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD) and chronic hepatitis C(CHC) differs from that used in the general CHC population mostly when glomerular filtration rate(GFR) is below 30 m L/min, as sofosbuvir, the backbone of several current regimens, is officially contraindicated. Given that ribavirin free regimens are preferable in CKD, elbasvir/grazoprevir is offered in CHC patients with genotype 1 or 4 and ombitasvir/paritaprevir and dasabuvir in genotype 1b for 12 wk. Although regimens containing peginterferon with or without ribavirin are officially recommended for patients with CKD and genotype 2, 3, 5, 6, such regimens are rarely used because of their low efficacy and the poor safety and tolerance profile. In this setting, especially in the presence of advanced liver disease, sofosbuvirbased regimens are often used, despite sofosbuvir contraindication. It seems to have good overall safety with only 6% or 3.4% of CKD patients to discontinue therapy or develop serious adverse events without drug discontinuation. In addition, sustained virological response(SVR) rates with sofosbuvir based regimens in CKD patients appear to be comparable with SVR rates in patients with normal renal function. Treatment recommendations for kidney transplant recipients are the same with those for patients with CHC, taking into consideration potential drug-drug interactions and baseline GFR before treatment initiation. This review summarizes recent data on the current managementof CHC in CKD patients highlighting their strengths and weaknesses and determining their usefulness in clinical practice.