The influence of mTOR inhibitors on the incidence of CMV infection in high-risk donor positive-recipient negative (D+/R-) kidney transplant recipients

Abstract

Introduction: Several studies and meta-analysis suggest the mTOR inhibitors are associated with reduced incidence of CMV infection after kidney transplantation, although their effects on the high-risk population have not been investigated thoroughly.

Objective: This retrospective cohort study investigates the association between immunosuppression and CMV infection in D+/R- kidney transplant recipients receiving preemptive therapy.

Methods: All patients received rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin, tacrolimus, prednisone and azathioprine (AZA), mycophenolate (MPA) or everolimus (EVR).

Results: Among 89 D+R-, the overall incidence of CMV infection was 76%, with no difference among the groups AZA vs MPA vs EVR (73 vs 83 vs 74%, P = 0.643). CMV infection occurred later (31 in AZA vs 31 in MPA vs 43 days in EVR group, P < 0.001) and showed a lower trend of recurrences (57% in AZA vs 79% in MPA vs 48% in EVR group, P = 0.058) in the everolimus group. There were no differences in the IgG seroconversion rate (82% in AZA vs 76% in MPA vs 72% in EVR group, P = 0.983). There were no differences in the incidence of biopsy-proven acute rejection (10% in AZA vs 8% in MPA vs 6% in EVR group, P = 0.811) and renal function at 12 months (53.6 in AZA vs 60.3 in MPA vs. 55.4 mL/min/1.73 m² in EVR group).

Conclusion: In this cohort of high-risk CMV D+/R- kidney transplant recipients receiving rATG induction and tacrolimus, the use of mTOR inhibitors could only show a tendency towards but not a significant difference on the incidence of CMV events, when compared to antimetabolites.

Keywords: cytomegalovirus infection; kidney transplantation; mTOR inhibitors.