Estudio de marcadores inmunológicos predictivos de infección en trasplante pulmonar

Abstract

The present study attempts to show that immunosuppressive therapy generates quantitative disorders in humoral immunity and determination of immunoproteins as biomarkers of immune response against infectious agents allows early identification of lung transplant patients at increased risk for serious infections. Immunological determinations (IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, C4, anti-pneumococcal antibodies and anti-CMV) are obtained in 88 lung transplant patients at the time of transplant, 7 days and 30 days after transplant and also BAFF (B cell activating factor) pre-transplant. After lung transplantation a decline of various parameters of humoral immunity, specially IgG hypogammaglobulinemia, are independent risk factors for severe fungal and CMV infection. Higher cytokine BAFF in serum pre-transplant period is associated with risk of developing infections and acute rejection. Therefore, humoral immune monitoring contributes to a better detection of risk of infection and rejection in lung transplant recipients.