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Loss of a renal graft due to recurrence of anti‐GBM disease despite rituximab therapy
Author(s) -
Sauter Matthias,
Schmid Holger,
Anders Hans J.,
Heller Florian,
Weiss Max,
Sitter Thomas
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
clinical transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1399-0012
pISSN - 0902-0063
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2008.00912.x
Subject(s) - medicine , rituximab , transplantation , renal function , urology , antibody , glomerulonephritis , renal replacement therapy , kidney transplantation , surgery , kidney , gastroenterology , immunology
The recurrence of anti‐glomerular basement membrane (anti‐GBM) glomerulonephritis (GN) in renal transplants is very rare. We report on a patient that developed acute renal allograft dysfunction due to anti‐GBM GN relapse 18 months after transplantation. As plasmaseperation, dose escalation of MMF, steroids and cyclophosphamids did not result in an improvement of the graft function, a therapy with the anti‐CD20 antibody Rituximab was established in addition to plasmaseperation, cyclophosphamid and steroids. Although this resulted in a decrease of anti‐GBM antibody titer, graft function deteriorated further and a renal replacement therapy had to be initiated.