Voriconazole pharmacokinetics in liver transplant recipients.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of voriconazole and the potential correlations between pharmacokinetic parameters and patient variables in liver transplant patients on a fixed-dose prophylactic regimen. Multiple blood samples were collected within one dosing interval from 15 patients who were initiated on a prophylactic regimen of voriconazole at 200 mg enterally (tablets) twice daily starting immediately posttransplant. Voriconazole plasma concentrations were measured using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Kidney after nonrenal transplantation-the impact of alemtuzumab induction.

Background: Calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity in nonrenal allograft recipients can lead to end-stage renal disease and the need for kidney transplantation. We sought to evaluate the role of alemtuzumab induction in this population.

Patients And Methods: We evaluated 144 patients undergoing kidney transplantation after nonrenal transplantation between May 18, 1998, and October 8, 2007.

Alemtuzumab preconditioning with tacrolimus monotherapy-the impact of serial monitoring for donor-specific antibody.

Background: Antibody preconditioning with tacrolimus monotherapy has allowed many renal allograft recipients to be maintained on spaced weaning.

Methods: Of 279 renal allograft recipients transplanted between March 2003 and December 2004, 222 (80%) had spaced weaning (i.e.

Acute cellular rejection with CD20-positive lymphoid clusters in kidney transplant patients following lymphocyte depletion.

Lymphoid clusters (LC) containing CD20-positive B cells in kidney allografts undergoing acute cellular rejection (ACR) have been identified in small studies as a prognostic factor for glucocorticoid resistance and graft loss. Allograft biopsies obtained during the first episode of ACR in 120 recipients were evaluated for LC, immunostained with CD20 antibody, and correlated with conventional histopathologic criteria, response to treatment and outcome. LC were found in 71 (59%) of the 120 biopsies.