Organ transplantation under necessary concurrent immunosuppression contains a high risk of contracting tuberculosis (TB), and reactivation of dormant TB has been regarded as a predominant mode of acquisition. 1 Living in high endemic area renders these high-risk individuals of getting TB from community and hence it is one of the causes of late-onset TB. Treatment of drug-resistant TB has a longer course as compared to drug-sensitive TB and there are more chances of failure. 2 Pulmonary TB is the frequent site of involvement but extra pulmonary TB is also not rare affecting 16% of cases. 3 Drug toxicity and drug interactions with immunosuppressive agents may result in inadequate immunosuppressive levels that can lead to graft failure. 4 The following is a case series of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). Transplant physicians and Infectious Diseases specialist managed the patients according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines with monthly follow-up of sputum culture and managed drug toxicities.
Background: Polymyxins (colistin) have emerged for the treatment of carbapenem resistant (CR) gramnegative infections. There is a paucity of data on treatment outcomes and adverse effects of high-dose colistin treatment in Pakistan. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and toxicity of colistin in CR bacteremia, including patients with renal failure and on hemodialysis, and to determine patient outcomes. Methods: This prospective cohort study was performed from May to December 2017 at Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Karachi, Pakistan. Patients aged >18 years with documented gram-negative bacteremia were included. Data were compared between those who received colistin and those who did not, including risk factors for CR bacteremia, bacterial clearance, adverse effects, and all-cause mortality up to 14 days of follow-up. Results: The study included 137 patients, 73 (53.3%) in the colistin group and 64 (46.7%) in the noncolistin group. Patients in the colistin group were 1.47 times more likely to have died by day 14 of followup as compared to those in the non-colistin group (19.2% vs 7.8%; relative risk 1.47, p= 0.05). Patients in both groups achieved more than 80% bacteriological clearance. The colistin group patients were less likely to have received appropriate empirical antibiotics as compared to the non-colistin group patients (4.1% vs 62.5%; relative risk 0.09, p< 0.001). Factors significantly associated with mortality were inappropriate empirical antibiotics and acute renal failure. Of the 73 patients in the colistin group, 27 (37.0%) developed reversible neurological adverse effects. Patients with renal insufficiency, not on hemodialysis, were evaluated for colistin nephrotoxicity. Creatinine decreased from 8.08 mg/dl at baseline to 4.85 mg/dl on day 7 in the colistin group, and from 6.5 mg/dl to 3.9 mg/dl in the non-colistin group. Patients with normal renal function had no significant rise in serum creatinine. Conclusions: Colistin is efficacious in clearing bacteremia even in patients with impaired renal function. The adverse effects were found to be minimal and reversible. We recommend the use of colistin in combination with carbapenems for CR gram-negative bacteria in renal failure. Most importantly, however, this study highlights the role of empirical colistin treatment in patients with risk factors for CR bacteremia.
Background Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative (CRGN) bacteraemia has high mortality and limited therapeutic options. We assessed the risk factors and outcome of CRGN bacteraemia treated with limited options. Methods A prospective cohort study done at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan, from October 2021 to August 2022. All patients >18 years with CRGN bacteraemia were assessed for demographics, source, risk factors and treatment received. Outcome was assessed as bacterial clearance and all-cause mortality at Day 14 of bacteraemia. Results We included 175 patients. Median age was 45 years (IQR 30–58) and the majority of our patients were on haemodialysis (75%). We found 14 day mortality in 26.8% of our patients; in addition, microbiological clearance was achieved in 95%. The central line (49.7%) was the most common source and Klebsiella spp. (47%) the most common organism. On multivariate analysis, risk factors for mortality were Foley’s catheter [aOR 2.7 (95% CI 1.1–6.5)], mechanical ventilation [aOR 5.1 (95% CI 1.6–15.8)] and Pitt bacteraemia score >4 [aOR 3.48 (95% CI 1.1–10.5)]. Source control was a significant protective factor [aOR 0.251 (95% CI 0.09–0.6)]. The majority received a colistin-based regimen with no difference in mortality between monotherapy and combination therapy. Conclusions Our cohort of CRGN bacteraemia is unique, comprising younger patients mostly on haemodialysis with a central line as the source of bacteraemia and we have found 14 day mortality of 27%. Colistin with various combinations can be an effective option in patients with renal failure having prompt source control.
Introduction: Whipple's disease (WD) is a rare multi-systemic disorder caused by actinomycetes, Tropheryma whipplei. It presents with weight loss, arthralgia, and diarrhea and may involve the heart, lung, or central nervous system. The use of immunosuppressive medications or underlying immunodeficiency states are associated risk factors. Six cases in transplant recipients have so far been reported worldwide. We describe our experience of WD in renal transplant recipients.Methods: All renal transplant recipients who presented with diarrhea and were diagnosed with WD on duodenal biopsy from 2016 till 2019 were included. Their data regarding duration since transplantation, immunosuppressive therapy, symptoms, treatment response, and outcome were analyzed.Results: Seven cases were diagnosed as WD based on duodenal biopsy, with histological findings of periodic acid Schiff-positive granules in macrophages. All were males. The most common symptoms were chronic diarrhea and weight loss. Average time since transplantation was 4.8 years. All patients were on azathioprine and everolimus. Clinical relapse or adverse effects was seen in five of seven patients treated with doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine which was discontinued. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole for 1 year, with initial intravenous ceftriaxone in two patients, resulted in complete remission in all patients at a follow-up period averaging 1.5 years. Conclusion:WDs in renal transplant recipients most commonly presents as an intestinal disorder. Treatment of 1 year with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole has good response with complete remission at 1.5 years of follow up.
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