Everolimus for BKV nephropathy in kidney transplant recipients: a prospective, controlled study.
Abstract
There is no specific therapy for polyoma BK virus nephropathy (BKVN) in kidney transplant recipients, a condition associated with poor outcomes. Everolimus showed promising antiviral effects, but data from prospective studies are limited. Therefore, we converted ten consecutive kidney transplant recipients with biopsy-proven BKVN from standard exposure Calcineurin inhibitors and Mycophenolate to Everolimus and reduced exposure Calcineurin inhibitors. Ten patients not administered Everolimus, on reduced exposure Calcineurin inhibitor and halved MPA doses served as controls. All kidney transplant recipients continued steroid therapy. Each patient underwent kidney graft biopsy, BKV replication by PCR, and de novo DSA determination. During a 3-year follow-up no graft loss occurred in kidney transplant recipients on Everolimus but it was observed in 5/10 controls (P = 0.032). eGFR improved on Everolimus and worsened in controls (between group difference + 25.6 ml/min/1.73 m2, 95% CI 10.5-40.7, P = 0.002). BKV replication declined in the Everolimus group alone (from 6.4 ± 0.8 to 3.6 ± 1.6 Log 10 genomic copies, P = 0.0001), and we found a significant inverse relationship between eGFR and BKV genomic copy changes (P = 0.022). Average ...Continue Reading
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BK Virus Infection
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