TY - JOUR
T1 - Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders and Epstein-Barr virus DNAemia in a cohort of lung transplant recipients
AU - Baldanti, Fausto
AU - Rognoni, Vanina
AU - Cascina, Alessandro
AU - Oggionni, Tiberio
AU - Tinelli, Carmine
AU - Meloni, Federica
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Background: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are serious complications in lung transplant recipients. No consensus on EBV DNAemia levels predictive of PTLD has been reached. In addition, in many instances EBV DNAemia is determined in patients with suggestive symptoms only. Methods. The characteristics of five patients with PTLD as well as the prevalence of EBV DNAmia in a cohort of 137 consecutive patients receiving lung transplantation are described. Results: Twenty-six out of 137 patients (18.9%) were excluded from the analysis because lost at follow-up or dead from PTLD-independent reasons within three months of transplantation. EBV DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was determined in 83/111 patients (74.8%) because of potential PTLD-related symptoms, while 28 patients (25.2%) showed no symptoms and were not examined. EBV DNAemia was positive in 53/83 patients (63.8%), and negative in 30/83 patients (36.2%). PTLD was diagnosed in five (4.5%) patients at a median time of 270 (range 120-870) days following transplantation. All five PTLD (three large B-cell lymphomas, one Hodgkin lymphoma and one possible pre-neoplastic lesion) were potentially associated with EBV infection. However, only 3/5 patients with PTLD had detectable EBV DNAemia: <1,000 copies EBV DNA/1 × 10
5 PBMC in one patient and > 1,000 copies EBV DNA/1 × 10
5 PBMC in two patients. Conclusion: A systematic multidisciplinary (clinical, radiologic, virologic and histologic) approach is mandatory for the diagnosis and management of PTLD in lung transplant recipients, while monitoring of symptomatic patients only may provide an incomplete or late picture of the clinical problem. In addition, staining for EBV antigens and quantification of EBV DNA in biopsy specimens should always be performed to understand the role of EBV infection in the pathogenesis of PTLD.
AB - Background: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are serious complications in lung transplant recipients. No consensus on EBV DNAemia levels predictive of PTLD has been reached. In addition, in many instances EBV DNAemia is determined in patients with suggestive symptoms only. Methods. The characteristics of five patients with PTLD as well as the prevalence of EBV DNAmia in a cohort of 137 consecutive patients receiving lung transplantation are described. Results: Twenty-six out of 137 patients (18.9%) were excluded from the analysis because lost at follow-up or dead from PTLD-independent reasons within three months of transplantation. EBV DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was determined in 83/111 patients (74.8%) because of potential PTLD-related symptoms, while 28 patients (25.2%) showed no symptoms and were not examined. EBV DNAemia was positive in 53/83 patients (63.8%), and negative in 30/83 patients (36.2%). PTLD was diagnosed in five (4.5%) patients at a median time of 270 (range 120-870) days following transplantation. All five PTLD (three large B-cell lymphomas, one Hodgkin lymphoma and one possible pre-neoplastic lesion) were potentially associated with EBV infection. However, only 3/5 patients with PTLD had detectable EBV DNAemia: <1,000 copies EBV DNA/1 × 10
5 PBMC in one patient and > 1,000 copies EBV DNA/1 × 10
5 PBMC in two patients. Conclusion: A systematic multidisciplinary (clinical, radiologic, virologic and histologic) approach is mandatory for the diagnosis and management of PTLD in lung transplant recipients, while monitoring of symptomatic patients only may provide an incomplete or late picture of the clinical problem. In addition, staining for EBV antigens and quantification of EBV DNA in biopsy specimens should always be performed to understand the role of EBV infection in the pathogenesis of PTLD.
KW - DNAemia
KW - EBV
KW - lung transplant recipients
KW - PTLD
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U2 - 10.1186/1743-422X-8-421
DO - 10.1186/1743-422X-8-421
M3 - Article
C2 - 21892950
AN - SCOPUS:80052579097
VL - 8
JO - Virology Journal
JF - Virology Journal
SN - 1743-422X
M1 - 421
ER -