BMC Nephrology (Oct 2024)

Successful prevention of BK-polyomavirus nephropathy using extracorporeal photopheresis for immunosuppression minimisation following severe BK polyomavirus replication after kidney transplantation in a double lung transplant recipient, a case report

  • Florent Von Tokarski,
  • François Parquin,
  • Antoine Roux,
  • Victor Hayem,
  • Thibault Kerdiles,
  • Marion Rabant,
  • Pierre Isnard,
  • Alexandre Loupy,
  • Cyril Fourniol,
  • Leila Tricot,
  • Clément Picard,
  • Alexandre Hertig,
  • Julie Oniszczuk

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-024-03788-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 25, no. 1
pp. 1 – 5

Abstract

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Abstract Background BK-polyomavirus (BKpyV) nephropathy (BKVN) is associated with end-stage kidney disease in kidney and non-kidney solid organ transplantation, with no curative treatment. Case presentation A 45-year-old woman with a past medical history of double lung transplantation subsequently developed end-stage kidney disease, of undetermined origin. One month after receiving a kidney transplant, a diagnosis of early BKVN was suspected, and in retrospect was a reasonable cause for the loss of her native kidneys. Minimisation of immunosuppression, achieved through extracorporeal photopheresis, allowed clearance of BKpyV and so prevented nephropathy. Both lung and kidney grafts had a satisfactory and stable function after one year of follow-up, with no rejection. Conclusions Extracorporeal photopheresis may have facilitated minimisation of immunosuppression and BKpyV clearance without lung allograft rejection.

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