Proactive treatment of angiotensin receptor antibodies in kidney transplantation with plasma exchange and/or candesartan is safe and associated with excellent graft survival at 4 years: A single centre Australian experience.

High levels of angiotensin receptor antibodies (ATRab) are associated with acute cellular and humoral rejection, vascular occlusion, de novo human leucocyte antigen donor specific antibody (HLA DSA) and poor graft survival in kidney transplant recipients (KTR). Since 2015 we proactively managed patients "at risk" (AR) with ATRab >17 U/ml with perioperative plasma exchange (PLEX) and/or angiotensin receptor blockade (ARB). 44 patients were treated with this protocol.

The mean fluorescence intensities of anti-HLA antibodies detected using micro-bead flow cytometry predict the risk of platelet transfusion refractoriness.

There are no accepted methods to predict the development of platelet transfusion refractoriness (PTR) due to human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-alloimmunization. Hence, matched platelets are usually given only to patients demonstrating PTR, necessarily resulting in some ineffective random donor platelets (RDPLT) transfusions. To assess its utility in predicting PTR, we retrospectively tested samples from 387 patients receiving chemotherapy for acute leukaemia or autologous transplantation using a micro-bead flow cytometry assay.

Desensitization for renal transplantation: depletion of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies, preservation of memory antibodies, and clinical risks.

Desensitization protocols reduce donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) and enable renal transplantation in patients with a positive complement-dependent cytotoxic cross-match (CDC-CXM). The effect of this treatment on protective antibody and immunoglobulin levels is unknown. Thirteen patients with end-stage renal disease, DSA and positive CDC-CXM underwent desensitization.