Tuberculosis in kidney transplant patients
Poniachik, J.; Paredes, R.; Thambo, S.; Sapunar, J.
Revista Medica de Chile 118(10): 1105-1110
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0034-9887 PMID: 2152627 Document Number: 354306
We studied the incidence of tuberculosis in 37 renal transplant patients. Mean age was 37 years and immune suppression therapy had been used for a mean of 37 months. Tuberculosis-free cases had received prednisone at a mean dose of 10 +/- 4 mg/day and azathioprine, 96 +/- 35 mg/day. 28% of patients had a positive tuberculin test, 24% a healed tuberculous lung lesion and 40% received chemoprophylaxis. Four patients developed tuberculosis, 10 times the incidence expected for the general population. Fever was present in all patients. Two patients had a disseminated form and one a laryngeal location. None of the patients had received chemoprophylaxis and the dose of prednisone was higher (18 +/- 9 mg/day) than that received by non-infected patients. Thus, chemoprophylaxis for tuberculosis appears warranted in all renal transplant recipients, regardless of tuberculin test results or chest X ray findings.