Joo-Han Lee

BACKGROUND: Rituximab (RIT) improves the outcomes of ABO-incompatible (ABOi) kidney transplantation (KT), but it has been associated with infectious complications. The aim of this study was to investigate infectious complications according to the dose of RIT in ABOi KT. METHODS: We analyzed 213 recipients [118 ABO-compatible (ABOc) KT and 95 ABOi KT] who underwent living donor KT between 2010 and 2014. ABOi KT patients were categorized by RIT dose: standard RIT (375 mg/m(2), n = 76) versus reduc

BACKGROUND: Anti-angiotensin II type 1 receptor antibodies (AT1R-Abs) have been suggested as a risk factor for graft failure and acute rejection (AR). However, the prevalence and clinical significance of pretransplant AT1R-Abs have seldom been evaluated in Asia. METHODS: In this multicenter, observational cohort study, we tested the AT1R-Abs in pretransplant serum samples obtained from 166 kidney transplant recipients. Statistical analysis was used to set a threshold AT1R-Abs level at 9.05 U/mL.

Interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IF/TA) is a common cause of kidney allograft loss. Several noninvasive techniques developed to assess tissue fibrosis are widely used to examine the liver. However, relatively few studies have investigated the use of elastographic methods to assess transplanted kidneys. The aim of this study was to explore the clinical implications of the acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) technique in renal transplant patients. A total of 91 patients who underwent

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation is a well-known complication of immunosuppressive therapy. Although rituximab is increasingly used for desensitization of ABO-incompatible or positive crossmatch kidney transplantation, the risk of HBV reactivation in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative/hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc)-positive kidney transplant patients receiving rituximab desensitization remains undetermined. Methods: We analysed 172 resolved HBV patients who underw

Abstract The effect of delayed graft function (DGF) recovery on long-term graft outcome is unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the association of DGF recovery status with long-term outcome. We analyzed 385 recipients who underwent single kidney transplantation from brain-dead donors between 2004 and 2015. Patients were grouped according to renal function at 1 month post-transplantation: control (without DGF); recovered DGF (glomerular filtration rate [GFR] ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ); and i

High intra-patient variability (IPV) of tacrolimus trough concentrations is increasingly recognized as a predictor of poor long-term outcomes in kidney transplant. However, there is a lack of information regarding the association between tacrolimus IPV and graft outcomes according to immunological risk. We analyzed tacrolimus IPV using the coefficient of variability from months 6-12 after transplantation in 1080 kidney transplant recipients. Patients were divided into two immunological risk grou

The previous Korean liver allocation system was based on Child-Turcotte-Pugh scores, but increasing numbers of deceased donors created a pressing need to develop an equitable, objective allocation system based on model for end-stage liver disease scores (MELD scores). A nationwide, multicenter, retrospective cohort study of candidates registered for liver transplantation from January 2009 to December 2011 was conducted at 11 transplant centers. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis

PURPOSE: Recently, bortezomib has been used to treat antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) refractory to conventional treatment such as plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin, and rituximab. The authors aimed to describe their experiences when bortezomib was used to treat refractory AMR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven refractory AMR episodes treated with bortezomib were included in this study. The patients received one or two cycles of bortezomib (1.3 mg/m²) on days 1, 4, 8, and 11. RESULTS: Bort

Abstract Sensitized patients received desensitization therapy with rituximab for kidney transplantation. However, the impact of rituximab dose on hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation is unknown. Patients who underwent living donor kidney transplantation between 2008 and 2016 were grouped according to rituximab dose (control vs. standard-dose rituximab [375 mg/m 2 ] vs. reduced-dose rituximab [200 mg/body]) for comparison of HBV reactivation. A total of 336 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-neg

BACKGROUND: In June 2016, the Korean Network for Organ Sharing implemented a Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score-based allocation system to better prioritize deceased-donor liver transplant (DDLT) candidates. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of this allocation system. METHODS: We compared waiting list and posttransplant outcomes during the first year of operation of the MELD allocation system (from June 2016 to May 2017) with an equivalent period before its implementatio

Purpose: Recently, bortezomib has been used to treat antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) refractory to conventional treatmentsuch as plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin, and rituximab. The authors aimed to describe their experiences whenbortezomib was used to treat refractory AMR. Materials and Methods: Eleven refractory AMR episodes treated with bortezomib were included in this study. The patients receivedone or two cycles of bortezomib (1.3 mg/m2) on days 1, 4, 8, and 11. Results: Bortezo

Serum bilirubin, a potent endogenous antioxidant, has been associated with decreased risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and kidney disease. However, the effects of serum bilirubin on kidney transplant outcomes remain undetermined. We analyzed 1628 patients who underwent kidney transplantations between 2003 and 2017. Patients were grouped into sex-specific quartiles according to mean serum bilirubin levels, 3-12 months post-transplantation. Median bilirubin levels were 0.66 mg/dL in males

Early hospital readmission (EHR) after kidney transplantation (KT) is associated with adverse outcomes and significant healthcare costs. Despite survival benefits, ABO- and HLA-incompatible (ABOi and HLAi) KTs require desensitization and potent immunosuppression that increase risk of EHR. However, little data exist regarding EHR after incompatible KT. We defined EHR as admission for any reason within 30 days of discharge from the index hospitalization. Patients who underwent living donor KT from

OBJECTIVES: The risk factors for late-onset Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) after liver transplantation (LT) have not been well studied. We aimed to analyze the clinical features preceding PCP in LT recipients that would guide individualized prophylaxis. METHODS: Among 742 patients who underwent LT and routine PCP prophylaxis from January 2009 through December 2019 at Severance Hospital, 27 patients developed PCP. We conducted a retrospective case-control study matching each patient with