Interleukin 6 Receptor Blockade to Treat Chronic Active Antibody-Mediated Rejection in Kidney Transplant: A Case Report With Review of Relevant Literature.

A 40-year-old male patient with a pretransplant calculated panel reactive antibody of 0 and no prior sensitizing events developed mixed active antibody-mediated rejection and acute cellular rejection (Banff grade 1A) 1.5 years posttransplant. Testing for donor-specific antibody or non-human leukocyte antigen antibody (major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related antigen A/angiotensin II type I receptor) was negative.

Antithymocyte globulin dosing effects on biopsy-proven acute rejection and infection risk.

Background: Antithymocyte globulin (rATG) is a polyclonal antibody commonly used as induction therapy in kidney transplantation to reduce risk of allograft rejection. Currently there is no consensus on the optimal dosing. rATG is not FDA approved for induction therapy, so no dosing recommendations are provided by the manufacturer.

Chylothorax and chylopericardial tamponade in a hemodialysis patient with catheter-induced superior vena cava stenosis.

Chylothorax and chylopericardium refer to the presence of milky, triglyceride-rich chylous fluid in the thoracic and pericardial spaces, respectively. Both conditions are extremely uncommon in end-stage renal disease patients on dialysis. We report the first known case of combined chylothorax and chylous pericardial tamponade in a dialysis patient associated with catheter-induced superior vena cava (SVC) stenosis.

Improved use of thromboprophylaxis for deep vein thrombosis following an educational intervention.

Background: We evaluated venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis rates in hospitalized medical patients in a teaching hospital, the State University of New York-Downstate Medical Center-University Hospital of Brooklyn, before and after implementation of a multifaceted VTE prophylaxis quality improvement intervention that combined regular education, dissemination of a decision support tool, and regular audit-and-feedback to resident physicians.

Methods: The charts of 312 hospitalized medical patients were retrospectively reviewed to assess baseline rates of appropriate VTE prophylaxis. Rates of appropriate VTE prophylaxis were then determined 12 and 18 months after implementation of the quality improvement intervention.