Impact of pretransplant human leukocyte antigen-C and -DP antibodies on kidney graft outcome.

The aim of our study was to determine whether the presence of specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-C and -DP antibodies before transplantation influenced graft outcomes in immunized recipients. Two groups of pretransplant immunized recipients were studied: patients with only classical HLA-A, -B, -DR, -DQ antibodies (n = 176) and those with classical plus HLA-C and/or -DP antibodies (n = 27). Acute antibody-mediated rejection was preferentially associated with the presence of pretransplant anti-HLA-C and -DP antibodies (5/6 cases).

[Pandemic influenza: training in the Nîmes university hospital].

Objective: The objective was to test the application of barrier precautions and hospital organization during an influenza pandemic, in accordance with the national program of influenza pandemic training and the "Influenza addendum" of the hospital guidelines in case of a major disaster.

Method: A practical exercise was performed on December 18th 2007 in two areas of high viral density and one of low viral density. This exercise involved all the people in these areas, without disturbing the normal care activity.

High pretransplantation soluble CD30 levels: impact in renal transplantation.

In a retrospective study, the impact of the level of pretransplantation soluble CD30 molecule (sCD30) was evaluated on 3 year transplant survival, as well as the number and grade of acute rejection episodes among kidney recipients engrafted between 2000 and 2002. One hundred and ninety sera of 190 patients sampled on the cross-match day were tested for sCD30 concentrations using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (Biotest). For the analysis, a sCD30 cutoff level of 100 U/mL was chosen: 87 (46%) recipients had a level >100, and 103 (54%) <100.