Elevated Levels of CD19+ B Cells before or after Rituximab Administration is a Risk Factor for the Early Rejection of a Living Kidney Transplant
1Nephrology, Ohkubo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
2Urology, Ohkubo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Meeting: 2018 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: A149
Keywords: B cells, Immunosuppression, Kidney transplantation, Rejection
Session Information
Session Name: Poster Session A: Kidney Immunosuppression: Desensitization
Session Type: Poster Session
Date: Saturday, June 2, 2018
Session Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm
Presentation Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm
Location: Hall 4EF
[Introduction]
Rituximab (RTX) is used for desensitization in highly sensitized patients, such as those undergoing ABO-incompatible (ABOi) kidney transplantation. Although RTX is generally effective, some patients exhibit a poor sensitivity to RTX. However, the factors that contribute to low RTX sensitivity and subsequent rejection are unknown. We sought to identify the characteristics of patients with a low RTX sensitivity and the risk factors for rejection by comparing patients based upon RTX treatment.
[Materials and Methods]
From 2009 to 2017, 144 patients who underwent living kidney donor transplantation were enrolled in this retrospective study. RTX was administered to ABOi recipients 5 days prior to operation. In non-RTX treated patients, the percentage of CD19+ B cells among total peripheral blood lymphocytes was measured before transplantation (CD19%). In RTX-treated patients, CD19% before and after RTX treatment prior to operation (postRTX-CD19%) was determined. Antibody-mediated rejection and T-cell mediated rejection within 3 months of operation were evaluated. All patients were divided into CD19% high (CD19%>11%) or CD19% low (CD19%≤11%) groups. Those who received RTX were further divided into postRTX-CD19% high (postRTX-CD19%>1.0%) or postRTX-CD19% low (postRTX-CD19%≤1.0%) groups.
[Results]
In total, 95 recipients received RTX. Both groups had a similar frequency of rejection (17.8% and 16.3%, respectively). The mean dose of RTX was 239±98.1 mg/body (145±62.2 mg/m2) and was not found to be significantly different between recipients who did and did not experience rejection. Although CD19% did not affect the likelihood of rejection among recipients without RTX, recipients with a high CD19% (n=39) were more likely to develop rejection compared to recipients with a low CD19% (n=68) among patients who received RTX (chi-squared test, p<0.05). In addition, patients with a high postRTX-CD19% who received RTX (n=6) were also more likely to suffer from rejection compared to those with a low postRTX-CD19% (n=84) (chi-squared test, p<0.05). All recipients who had both a high CD19% and high postRTX-CD19% experienced rejection within 3 months.
[Conclusion]
For highly sensitized recipients, a high CD19% before or after RTX treatment is a risk factor for rejection. Those with both high CD19% before and after RTX administration should be carefully monitored since they may be more likely to develop rejection compared to other patients.
CITATION INFORMATION: Kono M., Shirakawa H., Wakai S. Elevated Levels of CD19+ B Cells before or after Rituximab Administration is a Risk Factor for the Early Rejection of a Living Kidney Transplant Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Kono M, Shirakawa H, Wakai S. Elevated Levels of CD19+ B Cells before or after Rituximab Administration is a Risk Factor for the Early Rejection of a Living Kidney Transplant [abstract]. https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/elevated-levels-of-cd19-b-cells-before-or-after-rituximab-administration-is-a-risk-factor-for-the-early-rejection-of-a-living-kidney-transplant/. Accessed September 7, 2024.« Back to 2018 American Transplant Congress