Severe graft rejection, increased immunosuppression, and active CMV infection in renal transplantation

Associations between active cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, graft rejection, rejection therapy, and clinical signs and symptoms have been shown repeatedly. However, the causes and the sequence of events remain an area of debate. Two hundred twenty five patients with cadaveric renal transplant were included in the present study. Clinical signs and symptoms, and the development of active CMV infections were recorded during the first 3 months after renal transplantation. CMV monitoring by pp65‐antigenemia was performed followed by preemptive antiviral therapy. Delayed graft function and severe graft rejection followed by anti T‐cell antibody therapy was associated with the development of active CMV infection. In contrast, the induction therapy with anti‐T‐cell antibodies was not associated with more active CMV infections. Post‐transplant morbidity determined by fever, pneumonia, and duration of hospital stay was increased significantly in patients with active CMV infection. However, in times of preemptive antiviral therapy an increased morbidity occurred in association with severe graft rejection and not with active CMV infection alone. In patients with renal transplantation and preemptive antiviral therapy, the morbidity was no more influenced by the CMV serostatus although the prevalence of active CMV infection was obviously different between CMV exposed (D+/R+,D+/R−, D−/R+) and unexposed (D−/R−) patients. Severe graft rejection and increased immunosuppression could stimulate cooperatively active CMV infections whereas immunosuppression alone may not be as effective. Prevention of severe graft rejection may be important to decrease early post‐transplant morbidity and also the development of active CMV infections after renal transplantation. J. Med. Virol. 78:394–399, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.