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J Trofe

Publications and source records attributed to J Trofe.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Evolving experience of hepatitis B virus prophylaxis in liver transplantation.

Passive immunoprophylaxis with hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) is important to prevent recurrence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for chronic HBV cirrhosis. With availability of lamivudine (3TC), the use of combination prophylaxis with long-term HBIG/3TC has been shown to prevent short-term HBV recurrence. This report compares HBV recurrence rates between groups receiving no/short-term HBIG, long-term HBIG alone, or HBIG/3TC prophylaxis, and describes HBIG requirements during the first 6 and 12 months in the latter two groups. This study involved patients undergoing OLT at the University of Tennessee-Memphis between May 1990 and July 2001. During this period, 388 liver transplants were performed at our center. All hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive recipients (n = 27) were included in this retrospective analysis. The groups were similar with regard to pre-transplant demographic characteristics such as age, gender, weight, and pre-transplant diagnosis. Owing to the retrospective study design, median follow-up was longer for the no-prophylaxis (5.6 years) and the HBIG-alone (6.0 years) groups compared to the HBIG/3TC group (4.2 years). Patient survival was 50% in the no-prophylaxis and 71% in the HBIG-alone groups compared to 100% in the HBIG/3TC group (P = 0.09). When censored for death with a functioning graft, graft survival was 50% in the no-prophylaxis and 86% in the HBIG-alone group compared to 100% in the HBIG/3TC group (P = 0.07). The overall incidence of HBV recurrence in the no-prophylaxis era was 100% and 21% in the HBIG-alone era compared to 0% in the HBIG/3TC era (P < 0.001), despite similar mean and median HBIG trough titers in the HBIG-alone and HBIG/3TC groups. The incidence of HBV recurrence in HBV DNA-positive recipients was 100% in the no-prophylaxis era, 30% in the HBIG-alone era, and 0% in the HBIG/3TC era (P < 0.001). Recipients in the HBIG-alone group had a nearly two-fold increase in HBIG requirement at 6 and 12 months in order to maintain similar HBIG trough titers post-transplant compared to recipients in the HBIG/3TC group despite similar pre-transplant HBV serology. This increased HBIG requirement in the HBIG-alone group resulted in a marked increase in the mean overall cost of HBV prophylaxis in this group ($47,367 US dollars at 6 months; $84,280 US dollars at 12 months) compared to the HBIG/3TC group ($25,931 US dollars at 6 months; $49,599 US dollars at 12 months). These data demonstrate an improvement in patient and graft survival rates in the group receiving combination HBIG/3TC prophylaxis compared to the HBIG-alone and no-prophylaxis groups. There was a significant reduction in HBV recurrence in the group receiving combination HBIG/3TC when compared to the groups receiving HBIG alone or no prophylaxis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the addition of 3TC to the long-term HBIG regimen led to elimination of the disparity previously described in HBV recurrence rates between HBV DNA-positive and HBV DNA-negative recipients. Importantly, our data demonstrates a complete lack of HBV recurrence in the HBIG/3TC group at a median follow-up of 4.2 years. Additionally, the data show that the addition of 3TC to the post-operative prophylaxis regimen resulted in a reduction in the requirement of HBIG at 6 and 12 months, which markedly reduced the overall cost of post-transplant HBV prophylaxis.

Adult↗

Patterns of cytomegalovirus infection in simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone with ganciclovir prophylaxis.

BACKGROUND: The impact of tacrolimus (TAC), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and steroid immunosuppression on cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in combination with ganciclovir prophylaxis in simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation (SKPT) has not been well studied. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was made of 75 SKPTs performed between 1 January 1996 and 7 January 1999. All patients received ganciclovir for 3 months, but CMV donor (D)+ / recipient (R)- patients received ganciclovir for 6 months. RESULTS: 16/74 (22%) were CMV D+/R-, 25 (33%) D+/R+, 16 (22%) D-/R+, and 17 (23%) D-/R- (1 patient with unknown donor serology was excluded). The mean time to CMV infection was 198 days post-transplant. The incidence of either CMV infection or tissue invasive CMV disease was 16/74 (22%), including 9 (12%) with CMV infection and 7 (10%) CMV disease. The one-year patient, kidney, and pancreas graft survival rates were 91%, 89%, and 83%, respectively. The mean follow-up was 29 months (minimum of 12 months). CMV infection was not associated with an increased incidence of graft failure or mortality. The D+/R- group had the highest incidence of CMV infection (44%) compared with the other serologic groups (17%, P=0.02). Concurrent CMV and rejection occurred more frequently in the D+/R- than the other serologic groups (25% vs. 7%, P=0.03). The D-/R- group had the best outcomes, with no CMV infection, improved kidney graft survival at the end of follow-up (82% vs. 72%, P=0.04) and the highest event-free survival (no CMV infection, rejection, or graft loss) when compared to the other groups (76% vs. 33%, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to previous studies, ganciclovir prophylaxis delayed the onset and reduced the severity of CMV infection in patients receiving TAC, MMF, and steroids. Despite ganciclovir prophylaxis, CMV seronegative patients receiving CMV D+ organs had worse outcomes than seronegative recipients receiving CMV D- organs.

Adult↗

Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis in pancreas transplant recipients.

Human ehrlichioses are tick-borne infections caused by bacteria in the genus Ehrlichia of the family Rickettsiaceae. To date there have been three cases of ehrlichiosis reported in the transplant population, a human monocytic ehrlichiosis (HME) infection in a liver transplant recipient and two cases of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) in kidney transplant recipients. We report three pancreas transplant patients who developed HGE in the last two years at a single southeastern center in the United States. All three patients had clinical, laboratory, and pathophysiologic findings on bone marrow biopsy and peripheral blood smears consistent with HGE, and responded to doxycycline therapy. In the setting of potent immunosuppression, ehrlichiosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of transplant patients presenting with persistent fever, pancytopenia, and abnormal liver function. Patients with ehrlichiosis infection may be at risk for developing other opportunistic infections or lymphoproliferative disease.

Adult↗

Long-term outcomes in simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant recipients with portal-enteric versus systemic-bladder drainage.

We retrospectively reviewed long-term outcomes in simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant (SKPT) recipients with portal-enteric (P-E) versus systemic-bladder (S-B) drainage. Forty-five patients were alive with functioning grafts 1 year after SKPT and were followed up for a minimum of 3 years (mean, 5.9 years), including 26 patients with P-E drainage and 19 patients with S-B drainage. Recipient demographic and transplant characteristics were similar between the two groups. In both groups, hospital admissions decreased significantly with increasing time after SKPT, although significantly fewer readmissions occurred in the first year in the P-E than the S-B group. The most common reason for readmission in both groups was infection, followed by miscellaneous, surgical, and immunologic morbidity. The incidence of readmission for dehydration was significantly less in the P-E group (P < 0.01). Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were similar between groups, although the number of antihypertensive medications was significantly less in the S-B group. Although fasting C-peptide levels were significantly greater in the S-B group, the two groups were similar with regard to carbohydrate (fasting serum glucose, hemoglobin A(1c)) and lipid (total cholesterol) metabolism. Renal and pancreas allograft functions were similar between the two groups. At 1 year post-SKPT, stabilization in most diabetic complications was reported. Four quality-of-life surveys that provided 29 scores were completed 6 to 24 months (mean, 18.5 months) after SKPT. Improved quality of life was reported in all but one of the scales, with many dimensions showing significant improvements. At 3 years after SKPT, no activity limitation was reported in 76% of patients with P-E drainage versus 53% with S-B drainage (P = 0.11). Five-year actual patient, kidney, and pancreas graft survival rates after P-E versus S-B drainage are 92% and 84%, 81% and 79%, and 88% and 74%, respectively (P = not significant). SKPT with P-E drainage is a safe and effective method to treat advanced diabetic nephropathy and is associated with decreasing morbidity, improving rehabilitation and quality of life, and stablizing metabolic function over time. The long-term prognosis after the first year is excellent and at least similar to the results achieved with S-B drainage.

Adult↗

Transmission of donor cancer into cardiothoracic transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: The demand for transplantable organs exceeds donor supply. Patients with central nervous system (CNS) or other tumors are controversial donors, and the donor cancer transmission rates in cardiothoracic transplant recipients have not been determined. The Israel Penn International Transplant Tumor Registry (IPITTR) was queried to define the risk of donor cancer transmission in cardiothoracic transplant recipients. METHODS: All heart, lung, or heart-lung recipients of organs from donors with a history of malignancy were reviewed. Donor and recipient demographics, histologic findings, and recurrence were reviewed. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients received 17 hearts, 3 lungs, and 2 heart-lung transplants from donors with known CNS or other malignancies. No malignancy transmissions were noted with astrocytomas (n = 3) or glioblastomas (n = 1), except a medulloblastoma that recurred at 6 months. The transmission rate for CNS tumors was 17% (1 of 6), and 1- and 3-year survivals were 67% and 50%, respectively. The most common non-CNS donor cancer was renal cell carcinoma (n = 5). Two renal cell cancer transmissions occurred, both when vascular extension was present. The most aggressive tumor transmission was choriocarcinoma (n = 2) and melanoma (n = 2). Two of 3 choriocarcinomas metastasized with 67% mortality, and both melanomas were transmitted and resulted in death. Other donor cancers included angiosarcoma (n = 2), cervical (n = 1), lung (n = 1), prostate (n = 1), and a liver adenocarcinoma. The transmission rate for all non-CNS groups was 56% (9 of 16) with a 2-year survival of 40%. CONCLUSIONS: The IPITTR experience indicates that tumor transmission is high (10 of 22, 45%) in cardiothoracic transplant recipients. Similar to intra-abdominal organ recipients in the IPITTR, (1) renal cell carcinomas without capsular invasion appear safe with no transmission, (2) vascular invasion in renal cell carcinoma appears to result in early tumor transmission, and (3) melanoma and choriocarcinoma have high rates of transmission with early and almost universal death.

Brain Neoplasms↗

Solid organ transplant: medication management issues.

Solid organ transplant patients are surviving longer today with a better quality of life. Although the incidence of acute rejection has decreased sharply in the past decade, chronic rejection remains an important problem. Goals for immunosuppression should focus equally on prevention of rejection and post-transplant complications. Newer and more specific immunosuppressive agents are available that can improve patient outcomes with fewer adverse effects. Pharmacists can help to prevent post-transplant complications and improve outcomes with immunosuppressive therapy.

Graft vs Host Reaction↗

The role of H2-receptor antagonists in the pathogenesis of nosocomial pneumonia in mechanically ventilated patients.

We conducted a computerized MEDLINE search and selected controlled studies and meta-analyses correlating the frequency of nosocomial pneumonia (NP) with the administration of histamine2-receptor antagonists (H2RAs) as stress ulcer prophylaxis in critically ill patients. Although such a correlation does exist, the literature supports the theory that gastric bacterial overcolonization through alkalinization by H2RAs is not a risk factor for NP in critically ill patients. Further well-designed studies are necessary to resolve the issue and clarify the role of H2RAs in the pathogenesis of NP.

Cross Infection↗