Organ Transplantation Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Organ Transplantation, including details on risks, prognosis, procedure, surgery.

Immunoglobulin therapy for plasma cell-rich rejection in the renal allograft.

Adrogue HE, Soltero L, Land GA, Ramanathan V, Truong LD, Suki WN

Nephrology Section, Baylor College of Medicine, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA. horacioa@bcm.edu

Plasma cell-rich acute rejection (PCAR) is associated with poor allograft outcome in renal transplantation. Previous studies report a graft half-life of six months after a single PCAR episode. However, the management of this condition is unclear. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy, by virtue of its immunomodulating properties, and its influence on B-cell maturation into plasma cells, may be a good candidate for reversing this type of rejection. We report four episodes of PCAR in two patients who responded well to IVIG with improvement in renal function.

Published 23 August 2006 in Transplantation, 82(4): 567-9.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Organ Transplantation Research Today. All Rights Reserved.