Treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in dialysis patients: an update.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a blood-borne infection and its prevalence used to be elevated in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Its main mode of contamination relies on nosocomial transmission. HCV infection is frequently associated in HD patients with normal liver enzymes whereas liver histology can display some degree of HCV-related lesions.

[Cytomegalovirus effects in solid organ transplantation and the role of antiviral prophylaxis].

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) belongs to β-Herpesviridae family. Morbidity related to this infectious agent remains a serious concern in the context of immunosuppression. Occurence of CMV infection within the first 3 months post-renal transplantation without any antiviral prophylaxis is about 70% of patients.

Pre-emptive intravenous ganciclovir versus valganciclovir prophylaxis for de novo cytomegalovirus-seropositive kidney-transplant recipients.

This sequential study evaluated two strategies regarding human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection/disease in HCMV-seropositive de novo kidney-transplant patients. The first cohort of patients (group 1; n = 132) was monitored sequentially for HCMV DNAemia; if it was positive (a cut-off at 3 log(10) copies/ml), the patient was given pre-emptive IV ganciclovir therapy (10 mg/kg/day for 3 weeks). The second cohort consisted of 150 patients (group 2) who were given valganciclovir (VGC) prophylaxis (900 mg/day) for the first 3 months posttransplantation.

Tamoxifen therapy in kidney-transplant patients presenting with severe encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis after treatment for acute humoral rejection.

Objectives: Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis is a rare but serious complication in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. Its mortality rate is approximately 30%, despite treatment with total parenteral nutrition, surgery, tamoxifen, or immunosuppressants.

Materials And Methods: Of 991 kidney transplants performed at our institution over 9 years, 50 patients were treated for chronic peritoneal dialysis at the time of transplant.