Clinical management and burden of cytomegalovirus in D+/R-Kidney transplant recipients in Canada

Abstract

Purpose: To document prophylactic practices, infection patterns, and disease burden to inform strategies for CMV management in high-risk kidney transplant recipients.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of 311 consecutive CMV D+/R- kidney recipients were enrolled from 7 Canadian programs over 4 years (2018-2021) to provide data on demographic, clinical, therapeutic and health resource use during the 1st year post-transplant.

Results: Themedian age was 58 (46, 67) years, 69% were male, and 53% were White. Diabetes was the principal cause of kidney failure (19%). 208 (69%) received a deceased donor graft; 76 (24%) had ATG induction, and 84% had maintenance therapy with tacrolimus and MMF/MPA ± prednisone. All received antiviral prophylaxis, 90% with valganciclovir, for a median of 180 days. 106 (34%) developed CMV viremia (median peak viral load 14,224 IU/ml) at a median of 218 days, of whom 46 (43%) had CMV disease and 15 (14%) had recurrent infection. Myelotoxicity occurred in 121 (39%) patients at a median of 88 days, lasting a median of 30 days. Opportunistic infections occurred in 119 patients (38%) at a median of 53 days. 141 patients (45%) were hospitalized, 50 (16%) more than once. 20 patients (6%) had biopsy-confirmed rejection, and 293 (94%) were alive with a functioning graft at 1 year.

Conclusion: Current prophylaxis strategies fail to prevent CMV infection in 34% of high-risk patients. Myelotoxicity, opportunistic infection, reduced immunosuppression, and hospitalization remain common and serious complications. More effective and less toxic personalized treatment strategies are required to minimize these risks and burdens.

Keywords: antiviral prophylaxis and treatment; cytomegalovirus; graft failure; hospitalization; immunosuppression; kidney transplantation; leukopenia; superinfection.