Renal transplantation with expanded criteria donors: Which is the optimal immunosuppression?

The growing gap between demand and supply for kidney transplants has led to renewed interest in the use of expanded criteria donor(ECD) kidneys in an effort to increase the donor pool. Although most studies of ECD kidney transplantation confirm lowerallograft survival rates and, generally, worse outcomes than standard criteria donor kidneys, recipients of ECD kidneys generally have improved survival compared with wait-listed dialysis patients, thus encouraging the pursuit of this type of kidney transplantation. The relative benefits of transplantation using kidneys from ECDs are dependent on patient characteristics and the waiting time on dialysis. Because of the increased risk of poor graft function, calcineurin inhibitor(CNI)-induced nephrotoxicity, increased incidence of infections, cardiovascular risk, and malignancies, elderly recipients of an ECD kidney transplant are a special population that requires a tailored immunosuppressive regimen. Recipients of ECD kidneys often are excluded from transplant trials and, therefore, the optimal induction and maintenance immunosuppressive regimen for them is not known. Approaches are largely center specific and based upon expert opinion. Some data suggest that antithymocyte globulin might be the preferred induction agent for elderly recipients of ECD kidneys. Maintenance regimens that spare CNIs have been advocated, especially for older recipients of ECD kidneys. CNI-free regimens are not universally accepted due to occasionally high rejection rates. However, reduced CNI exposure and CNI-free regimens based on mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors have shown acceptable outcomes in appropriately selected ECD transplant recipients.

Modifications of Coronay Artery Calcifications (CAC) and Correlations with C Reactive Protein (CRP) Levels in Renal Recipients after the First Year of Transplantation

The purpose of the present study was to determine the association between presence and progression of Coronary Artery Calcifications (CAC) quantified with Agatston Score (AS) and inflammatory index as CRP and other parameters in unselected renal transplant recipients. Forty-five patients were underwent a baseline Multislice CT (MSCT) at the time of renal transplant and a repeat evaluation 12 - 16 months later. After second MSCT recipients were divided in three groups: Gr1 (26 patients) with absence of CAC at basal and second MSCT, Gr2 (11 patients) with reduction of CAC after one year and Gr3 (8 patients) with increased values of CAC after one year. Mean +/- Standard deviation of basal and after one year values of AS and CRP were respectively: Gr1: 2 +/-3;2 +/- 5 and 0.4 +/- 0.3;0.55 +/- 0.67;Gr2: 317 +/- 288;212 +/- 242 and 0.9 +/- 1.1;0.55 +/- 0.6;Gr3: 854 +/- 1168;1032 +/- 1153 and 0.8 +/- 0.8;1.1 +/-?0.96. We found capacity of renal transplantation to protect against development of new calcium deposits in recipients without CAC at time of transplantation. While we confirmed association in Gr2 between reduction of CAC with reduction of CRP levels and in Gr3 between increased levels of CRP with increasing of CAC. Conclusion: In this preliminary study, renal transplantation appears to slow down or increasing CAC, in strict association with modifications of CRP levels. Long term studies are needed to confirm our preliminary data and to determine the effects of CAC on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in renal transplant recipients.