Journal List > J Korean Soc Transplant > v.24(4) > 1034316

Lee, Yu, Myoung, Dong, Byung, Hyun, and Soon: Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Infection in Renal Transplant Recipients

Abstract

Background

Novel H1N1 influenza A was a pandemic disease in 2009. However, limited data are available on renal transplant recipients undergoing long-term immunosuppression who contracted novel H1N1 influenza A.

Methods

We analyzed 2,345 patients who had been tested with H1N1 swab real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction test (rRT-PCR) between May 2009 and February 2010. Of them, 30 were kidney recipients who underwent kidney transplantation between April 1979 and 2, May 2009 before the first diagnosis of H1N1 influenza A in Korea. The clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcome of renal transplant recipients with confirmed H1N1 influenza were reviewed retrospectively.

Results

A total of 1,543 (66.7%) general patients were swine influenza A confirmed. Of the 30 transplant patients, 19 (63.3%) were confirmed with swine influenza A. The mean age of the general patients at diagnosis of swine influenza A was younger than that of renal recipients (16.5±16.1 vs. 39.7±11.5 years, P<0.0001). More patients died in the transplant group than in the general patient group even after oseltamivir (Tamiflu) treatment. When comparing the cured group with the dead group of transplant patients, the dead group had a longer duration between symptom manifestation and the beginning of treatment than the cured group (7 [5–7] vs. 2 [1–14] days, P=0.007). The dead group presented more complications such as pneumonia (P=0.009).

Conclusions

H1N1 influenza A can cause severe illness in kidney transplant recipients. We suggest that early diagnosis and treatment with an antiviral agent produces good results in kidney transplant recipients as in the general population.

References

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Fig. 1.
Distribution of age at diagnosis of swine inluenza A.
jkstn-24-256f1.tif
Table 1.
Comparison of clinical characteristics in general versus transplant patients
Properties General patients (n=2,315) Transplant patients (n=30) P
Sex (M:F) 1,180:1135 14:16 0.715
Age (years) 17.7±18.0 38.7±10.5 <0.0001
OPD:IPD 1,913:402 20:10 0.030
Positive rRT-PCR 1,543 (66.7%) 19 (63.3%) 0.700
  Sex (M:F) 824:719 9:10 0.649
  Age (years) 16.5±16.1 39.7±11.5 <0.0001
  Inpatients ratio 1,174:369 9:10 0.012
  Hospitalization (days) 7.3±16.0 9.9±8.3 0.603
  Mortality 11 (0.7%) 3 (15.8%) 0.001

Abbreviations: OPD, outpatient department; IPD, inpatient department; rRT-PCR, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Table 2.
Clinical characteristics of three transplant groups
Factors Group A a Group B b Group C c P
Sex       0.121
  Male 1,253 5 9  
  Female 695 6 10  
Age at transplantation 38 (2∼71) 27 (15∼51) 44 (9∼54) 0.078
Main immunosuppressive agent       0.784
  Azathioprine 41 (2.1%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)  
  Cyclosporine A 1,433 (73.6%) 7 (63.6%) 14 (73.7%)  
  Tacrolimus 474 (24.3%) 4 (36.4%) 5 (26.3%)  
Antimetabolite       0.918
  Yes 1,035 (53.1%) 6 (54.5%) 9 (47.4%)  
  No 913 (46.9%) 5 (45.5%) 10 (53.6%)  
Retransplantation       0.739
  Yes 159 (8.2%) 0 (0.0%) 2 (10.5%)  
  No 1,789 (91.8%) 11 (100%) 17 (89.5%)  
Acute rejection episode       0.433
  Yes 469 (24.1%) 1 (9.1%) 6 (31.6%)  
  No 1,479 (75.9%) 10 (90.9%) 13 (68.4%)  

a no symptom and no diagnostic work-up;

b negative result of H1N1;

c positive result of H1N1 polymerase chain reaction.

Table 3.
Factors that affect to the treatment outcome in transplant patients
  Treatment Outcome  
Factors Cured (n=16) Patient death (n=3) P
Age at H1N1 diagnosis (years) 44.5 (9∼54) 30.0 (22∼37) 0.042
Months from transplantation to H1N1 (months) 106 (22∼203) 239 (63∼286) 0.162
Days from symptom to treatment 2 (1∼14) 7 (5∼7) 0.007
Acute rejection history within 4 (25.0%) 2 (66.7%) 0.222
1 year after transplantation      
Symptom     0.453
  Cough 13 (81.3%) 2 (66.7%)  
  Fever 12 (75.0%) 2 (66.7%)  
  Dyspnea 1 (6.3%) 2 (66.7%)  
  Headache 5 (31.3%) 0  
Comorbidity     0.009
  None 14 (87.5%) 0  
  Pneumonia 1 (6.3%) 3 (100%)  
  Diarrhea or abdominal pain 1 (6.3%) 1 (33.3%)  
Past and current medical history      
  Hypertension 12 (75.0%) 3 (100%) >0.999
  Diabetes  Malignancy 6 (37.5%)0 1 (33.3%)1 (33.3%) >0.9990.158
  Cardiac problems 2 (12.6%) 0 >0.999
   Coronary disease 1 (6.3%) 0  
   Vavular disease 1 (6.3%) 0  
  Hepatitis B 1 (6.3%) 0 >0.999
Hospitalization (days) 0 (0–10) 20 (13∼28) 0.001
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