Cytomegalovirus infection after kidney transplantation and long-term graft loss

Despite the use of prevention strategies, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common viral complication after renal transplant and its impact on long-term outcomes is still open to debate.

To evaluate the incidence of CMV infection and disease during the use of prevention strategies in our centre and to analyse the association between CMV infection and long-term patient and graft survival and other potentially clinical events related with CMV.

We reviewed the medical records of 377 recipients of kidney transplants performed between January 1998 and December 2008. Kaplain-Meier survival curve analysis was performed to analyse graft and patient survival by CMV infection/disease and Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify factors associated with CMV infection/disease, graft loss and mortality.

The incidence of CMV infection was 34.7% and CMV disease was 9.5%. Patient and graft survival was significantly lower in patients with CMV infection/disease. CMV infection/disease was associated with a higher risk of graft loss (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.09-3.36, p=0.023), but not with a higher mortality (HR 1.29, 95% CI 0.7-2.38, p=0.4).

CMV replication after renal transplant is a risk factor for long-term graft loss but not mortality. Prevention strategies decrease post-transplant CMV infection and disease.