ATC Abstracts

American Transplant Congress abstracts

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • 2022 American Transplant Congress
    • 2021 American Transplant Congress
    • 2020 American Transplant Congress
    • 2019 American Transplant Congress
    • 2018 American Transplant Congress
    • 2017 American Transplant Congress
    • 2016 American Transplant Congress
    • 2015 American Transplant Congress
    • 2013 American Transplant Congress
  • Keyword Index
  • Resources
    • 2021 Resources
    • 2016 Resources
      • 2016 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2016 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2015-2016
      • AST Board of Directors 2015-2016
    • 2015 Resources
      • 2015 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2015 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2014-2015
      • AST Board of Directors 2014-2015
      • 2015 Conference Schedule
  • Search

Alemtuzumab and Associated Infectious and Transplant Outcomes in Renal Re-Transplant Patients

T. N. Harris

The Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

Meeting: 2020 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: LB-003

Keywords: Kidney transplantation, Retransplantation

Session Information

Session Name: Poster Session A: Late Breaking

Session Type: Poster Session

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2020

Session Time: 3:15pm-4:00pm

 Presentation Time: 3:30pm-4:00pm

Location: Virtual

*Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate infectious and transplant outcomes exclusively in renal re-transplant patients who had received alemtuzumab for induction therapy.

*Methods: A single-center, observational, retrospective cohort study was performed on patients who underwent renal re-transplantation at the UNC Medical Center from April 1, 2014-November 1, 2018. Patients were included if they were 18 years of age or older, received alemtuzumab as an induction agent, and if they were repeat renal transplant patients. Exclusion criteria included dual solid organ transplant recipients and ABO-incompatible renal transplant patients. Patient data was collected from the UNC Medical Center electronic health record (EPIC). The primary endpoint was identification of infections (opportunistic infections, bacterial, viral, and fungal) within 12 months of renal re-transplant. The secondary endpoints were acute rejection, patient and graft survival, and development of de novo donor specific antibodies within 12 months of renal re-transplant. Descriptive statistics such as counts, means, and standard deviations were used to quantify the data.

*Results: Among our cohort of thirty-four patients, the most common infections encountered in descending order of frequency were urinary tract infection (29.4% of patients), CMV DNAemia (23.5% of patients), and BK virus (17.6% of patients with the majority having BK viremia). Donor specific antibodies (DSA’s) developed in 32.4% (n=11) of our patients. Of those who developed DSA, only one patient experienced rejection. One patient passed away but the cause of death was unrelated to transplant.

*Conclusions: The most common infections experienced by our cohort of thirty-four renal re-transplant patients were urinary tract infections, CMV DNAemia, and BK virus. No patients experienced HSV, VZV, EBV, or invasive fungal infections (candidemia, PJP, aspergillus, mucor, etc) despite the ability for alemtuzumab to cause extensive immunosuppression. One-third of the patients in our study cohort developed donor specific antibodies (DSA’s) following re-transplantation. Despite this, only one patient had a negative transplant outcome. This indicates that the development of DSA’s in renal re-transplant patients receiving alemtuzumab may not lead to as many transplant complications (graft failure, acute rejection) as we had originally thought.

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Harris TN. Alemtuzumab and Associated Infectious and Transplant Outcomes in Renal Re-Transplant Patients [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2020; 20 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/alemtuzumab-and-associated-infectious-and-transplant-outcomes-in-renal-re-transplant-patients/. Accessed May 16, 2025.

« Back to 2020 American Transplant Congress

Visit Our Partner Sites

American Transplant Congress (ATC)

Visit the official site for the American Transplant Congress »

American Journal of Transplantation

The official publication for the American Society of Transplantation (AST) and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) »

American Society of Transplantation (AST)

An organization of more than 3000 professionals dedicated to advancing the field of transplantation. »

American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS)

The society represents approximately 1,800 professionals dedicated to excellence in transplantation surgery. »

Copyright © 2013-2025 by American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Cookie Preferences