Maintaining immunosuppressive treatment after early allograft nephrectomy does not reduce the risk of anti-HLA allo-sensitization

Early loss of a kidney allograft within the first days or weeks after transplantation occurs in 3–5% of kidney-transplant patients (1) (2). It is mainly caused by artery and/or vein allograft thrombosis (2), and requires a rapid allograft nephrectomy. We have previously shown that, even after a short transplant period, donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) and non-DSA anti-HLA antibodies develop in up to 50% of patients who stop immunosuppressive treatments immediately after an early allograft nephrectomy (3). Mechanisms leading to sensitization are incompletely explained, but could involve the persistence of the donor's antigens after allograft removal, particularly in the vascular patches (read more) Print this post