(1.25-142.7) months for control patients, the incidence of infectious disease was 45.45% and 53.9% (ns), respectively. The incidence of bacterial infection was similar between the two groups, whereas the viralinfection rate was significantly lower, and the rate of fungal infection was significantly higher in the rituximab group. Nine out of 77 patients (11.68%) died after rituximab therapy, of which seven deaths (9.09%) were related to an infectious disease, compared to 1.55% in the controls (p = 0.0007). In the whole population, the independent predictive factors for infectioninduced death were the combined use of rituximab and antithymocyte-globulin given for induction or antirejection therapy, recipient age, and bacterial and fungal infections. After kidney transplantation, the use of rituximab is associated with a high risk of infectious disease and death related to infectious disease.

The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy and safety of entecavir in kidney- and liver-transplant recipients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Ten male transplant patients with chronic HBV infection (eight kidney- and two liver-transplant patients), who have become adefovir (n=9) or lamivudine-resistant (n=1) were given entecavir at 0.5 to 1 mg/d. All patients were HBs Ag positive: six were HBe Ag(-)/HBe Ab(+), and four were HBe Ag(+)/HBe Ab(-). After a median follow-up of 16.5 months, entecavir therapy was associated with a significant decrease in HBV DNA viral load, that is, 3.86 (2.71-6.46) log10 copies/mL at baseline down to 2.94 (2.15-4) log10 copies/mL at last follow-up (P=0.004). Rate of HBV DNA clearance was 50% in both HBeAg(+) and HBeAg(-) patients. There were no significant changes in renal function or hematological parameters. This study demonstrates that entecavir therapy is safe and efficient in HBV(+) organ-transplant patients.

<b><i>Background and Objectives:</i></b> Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis have an attenuated immune response to vaccination. The aim of our study was to determine the predictive factors for humoral response to vaccination with the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. <b><i>Design, Setting, Participants, and Measurements:</i></b> In this retrospective, single-center study, we included patients on maintenance hemodialysis already vaccinated with two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) and with a post-vaccination serological follow-up. <b><i>Results:</i></b> 252 patients were included for study with a mean age of 71.9 (±14.4) years. Twelve patients (4.7%) were under immunosuppressive therapy (calcineurin inhibitors: <i>n</i> = 4; chemotherapy for myeloma: <i>n</i> = 3; last infusion of rituximab over the previous 4 years: <i>n</i> = 2; abatacept: <i>n</i> = 2; adalimumab <i>n</i> = 1). Three of these patients were under immunosuppressive therapy for nonrenal solid organ transplantation. Multivariate analysis identified immunosuppressive therapy (OR 4.73 [1.38–16.17], <i>p</i> = 0.013) and lower baseline albumin levels (OR 1.23 [1.09–1.38], <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) as independent predictive factors of nonresponse to vaccination. Older age (β = −0.59 ± 0.21, <i>p</i> = 0.006) and immunosuppressive therapy (β = 40.33 ± 13.33, <i>p</i> = 0.003) were significantly associated with lower humoral response to vaccination. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Approximately 90% of patients under maintenance hemodialysis developed specific antibodies to the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. Immunosuppressive therapy, malnutrition, and older age were associated with a higher risk of nonseroconversion or lower humoral response to mRNA-based vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. We strongly recommend serological monitoring after vaccination to determine booster timing, especially for patients with malnutrition or on immunosuppressive therapy.

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