Induction regimens and post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder after pediatric intestinal transplantation: Single-center experience

Pediatric recipients of intestinal transplants have a high incidence of PTLD, but the impact of specific induction immunosuppression agents is unclear. In this single-center retrospective review from 2000 to 2017, we describe the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of PTLD after primary intestinal transplantation in 173 children with or without liver, after induction with rATG, alemtuzumab, or anti-IL-2R agents. Thirty cases of PTLD occurred among 28 children, 28 EBV+ and 2 EBV-. Although not statistically significant, the PTLD incidence was higher after isolated intestinal transplant compared with liver-inclusive allograft (19.3% vs 13.3%, P = .393) and after induction with anti-IL-2R antibody and alemtuzumab compared with rATG (28.6% and 27.3% vs 13.3%, P = .076). The 30 PTLD cases included 13 monomorphic PTLD, 13 polymorphic PTLD, one spindle cell, one Burkitt lymphoma, and two cases too necrotic to classify. After reduction of immunosuppression, management was based on disease histology and extent. Resection with or without rituximab was used for polymorphic tumors and limited disease extent, whereas chemotherapy was used for diffuse disease. Of the 28 patients, 11 recovered with functioning allografts (39.3%), 10 recovered after enterectomy (35.7%), and seven patients died (25%), three due to PTLD and four due to other causes. All who died of progressive PTLD had received chemotherapy, highlighting the mortality of PTLD, toxicity of treatment and need for novel agents. Alemtuzumab is no longer used for induction at our center.