What are posttransplant lymphoproliferative diseases (PTLD) and the risk factors?
PTLD is a well-recognized complication of the immunosuppression in the kidney transplant patient. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is found in two-thirds of PTLD cases. PTLD in kidney transplant patients is mainly a B cell–derived, large cell lymphoma.
Risk factors for PTLD include:
- • Degree of immunosuppression such as the use of lymphocyte-depleting agents
- • Transplantation between EBV-positive donor and EBV-negative recipient
- • <25-year-old recipient
- • Pretransplant malignancy
- • PTLD occurs in 0.6% to 1.5% of patients after kidney transplantation, with the majority in the first year
