Late and early C4d-positive acute rejection: Different clinico-histopathological subentities in renal transplantation

This study was performed to investigate the clinical and pathologic features of C4d-positive steroid-resistant acute rejection (AR) at different phases after renal transplantation. Fifty-six kidney allograft recipients with C4d-positive AR were divided into three groups, very early rejection (VER, occurring ≤14 days following transplantation, n=28), early rejection (ER, occurring 15–180 days following transplantation, n=5), and late rejection (LR, occurring >180 days following transplantation, n=23). Clinical and pathological features were evaluated. Significantly more patients in the ER and LR groups were associated with a reduction or withdrawal of immunosuppressants. More patients in the ER and LR groups experienced a significant (>3 g/l) decrease in serum albumin (80% ER, 91.3% LR, 7.1% VER, P<0.001) and a decrease in hemoglobin (>1 g/dl) (80, 100 vs 17.9%, P<0.001). Most VER patients reported a fever and had very rapid graft dysfunction requiring dialysis. Significantly more patients (87%) had interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy in the LR group compared with the other groups and 13% had transplant glomerulopathy. Most cases of VER were reversed with tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil treatment, with or without immunoadsorption, with a 1-year survival rate of 96.4%, compared with only 60 and 52.2% in the ER and LR groups. In conclusion, C4d-positive steroid-resistant AR at different time points is associated with unique clinico-histopathological manifestations requiring distinct treatment strategies. Late episodes are usually associated with significantly reduced serum albumin and hemoglobin levels and a poorer outcome. A more specialized treatment protocol should be established for these patients.