Postinfectious glomerulonephritis in renal allograft recipients

Transplantation. 2006 Nov 15;82(9):1224-8. doi: 10.1097/01.tp.0000232327.09757.7b.

Abstract

Postinfectious glomerulonephritis (PIGN) is a rare etiology of de novo glomerulonephritis following kidney transplantation. To date, there have only been eight cases reported in the literature. We report an additional three patients transplanted at our institution between January 2000 and October 2004 who had clinical and pathologic findings consistent with posttransplant PIGN. All three patients were type 1 diabetics. One had received a cadaveric kidney transplant, one a simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant, and the third a living related kidney transplant followed by a pancreas transplant. All patients were on triple immunosuppressive therapy with tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone. In each case, an acute decline in allograft function developed in association with a known or suspected infectious process, and renal biopsies revealed an immune complex glomerulonephritis with features of PIGN. All regained renal function with treatment of their known or suspected infections and without specific therapies for their glomerulonephritis, including corticosteroids.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Communicable Diseases / complications*
  • Communicable Diseases / microbiology
  • Communicable Diseases / virology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Glomerulonephritis / diagnosis*
  • Glomerulonephritis / microbiology*
  • Glomerulonephritis / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppression Therapy
  • Kidney Transplantation*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged