Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) occurs in < 1% of kidney transplant recipients, but can often be a serious complication. In essence, PTLD is a form of lymphoma which occurs due to decreased immune surveillance as a result of...
CMV (cytomegalovirus) infection is quite common in the transplant population, and fortuantely the development and utilization of valganciclovir (Valcyte), an oral prodrug of ganciclovir, as a prophylactic agent has dramatically cut down on the number of CMV infections…
Leflunomide is a drug I’ve seen used with increasing frequency in the renal transplant world. Marketed under the trade name “Arava”, it is an immunomodulatory agent which works by inhibition of the enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, one of the…
A quick fact about foscarnet, one of the many drugs which can cause drug-induced hypocalcemia. Foscarnet is an antiviral medication, commonly used in the treatment of herpesviruses and CMV infections (e.g., CMV retinitis). The mechanism of its hypocalcemic…
