Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Kidney Transplantation
Number of Conditions: 3
Rejection (Acute and Chronic)
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Dialysis and Transplant-Related Conditions
Sub-category: Kidney Transplantation
Symptoms:
decreased urine output; swelling; weight gain; high blood pressure; fever; tenderness over the kidney transplant area; general fatigue
Root Cause:
The immune system recognizes the transplanted kidney as foreign and mounts an immune response, leading to damage and potential loss of function.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Blood tests (increased creatinine levels), imaging studies (ultrasound or Doppler), kidney biopsy to confirm immune-mediated damage.
Treatment:
Intensifying immunosuppressive therapy, including corticosteroids or antithymocyte globulin, depending on the severity and type of rejection.
Medications:
Treatments include corticosteroids (e.g., methylprednisolone ), anti-T cell antibodies (e.g., antithymocyte globulin , alemtuzumab ), and immunosuppressive agents (e.g., tacrolimus , cyclosporine ). These medications reduce the immune response to prevent further rejection.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Acute rejection occurs in approximately 10-20% of kidney transplant recipients, while chronic rejection develops in most recipients over time.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Inadequate immunosuppression, poor adherence to medication, donor-recipient mismatch, previous transplant rejections, infections, and HLA incompatibility.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Acute rejection can often be reversed if caught early; chronic rejection leads to gradual kidney failure, requiring dialysis or re-transplantation.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Loss of kidney transplant function, infections due to increased immunosuppression, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and mortality.
Post-Transplant Infections
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Dialysis and Transplant-Related Conditions
Sub-category: Kidney Transplantation
Symptoms:
fever; chills; fatigue; pain at the transplant site; difficulty breathing; frequent urination or pain while urinating; wound infections
Root Cause:
Immunosuppressive medications reduce the immune system's ability to fight infections, leading to bacterial, viral, fungal, or opportunistic infections.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Laboratory tests (blood cultures, urine cultures), imaging studies (X-rays, CT scans), and biopsy of infected tissues.
Treatment:
Antimicrobial therapy tailored to the causative agent (e.g., antibiotics, antivirals, or antifungals), reducing immunosuppressive medication temporarily.
Medications:
Antibiotics (e.g., ciprofloxacin , ceftriaxone ), antivirals (e.g., valganciclovir for CMV), and antifungals (e.g., fluconazole for candidiasis). Prophylactic antimicrobials may also be used.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Post-transplant infections occur in about 50% of kidney transplant recipients, varying by type and region.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Immunosuppression, prolonged hospital stays, donor-derived infections, pre-existing infections, and central venous catheters.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Most infections can be managed successfully with prompt treatment; severe or untreated infections can lead to graft loss or death.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Sepsis, organ rejection, prolonged hospitalizations, and reduced graft survival.
Immunosuppression-Related Complications
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Dialysis and Transplant-Related Conditions
Sub-category: Kidney Transplantation
Symptoms:
increased susceptibility to infections; delayed wound healing; cushingoid appearance; hypertension; hyperglycemia or diabetes; bone density loss; neurological side effects such as tremors
Root Cause:
Immunosuppressive medications suppress the immune system to prevent rejection but also lead to systemic effects and susceptibility to opportunistic infections and metabolic disturbances.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Regular monitoring through blood tests (to check for infections, glucose levels, liver and kidney function), imaging for bone density, and clinical evaluation of symptoms.
Treatment:
Adjusting the doses or types of immunosuppressants, using prophylactic medications, and addressing side effects through adjunctive treatments (e.g., insulin for diabetes, bisphosphonates for bone loss).
Medications:
Immunosuppressive agents (e.g., tacrolimus , mycophenolate mofetil, sirolimus ) cause the complications. Adjunctive treatments include bisphosphonates for osteoporosis, antihypertensives for hypertension, and insulin or oral hypoglycemics for diabetes management.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects nearly all kidney transplant recipients to some extent due to the necessary lifelong use of immunosuppressive medications.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Higher doses of immunosuppressive drugs, older age, pre-existing comorbidities, and poor lifestyle habits.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
With careful management, most complications can be mitigated, but some may contribute to long-term morbidity and reduced graft survival.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic infections, malignancies (e.g., skin cancer, lymphomas), metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease.