Prognostic value of quantitative Kaposi sarcoma--associated herpesvirus load in posttransplantation Kaposi sarcoma

J Infect Dis. 2002 Jul 1;186(1):110-3. doi: 10.1086/341088. Epub 2002 Jun 3.

Abstract

Organ transplant recipients have a higher risk of Kaposi sarcoma (KS). A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay was developed to evaluate KS-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) as a prognostic tool in transplant recipients with KS. Forty-three patients who developed KS after transplantation were included in a cross-sectional study to correlate virus load with transplantation or KS parameters. Seventeen patients (40%) had KSHV viremia (>100 copies/microg of DNA; median, 6067 copies/microg of DNA). Factors associated with these levels of viremia by univariate analysis were progression of KS (P=.00002), time from KS diagnosis (P=.0007), actual stage of KS (P=.006), initial stage of KS (P=.22), graft loss (P=.013), and time from transplantation (P=.0246). Disease progression remained associated with KSHV viremia in a multivariate analysis (P=.01). Thus, quantification of KSHV load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells could represent a useful tool for monitoring transplant recipients with KS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cohort Studies
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • DNA, Viral
  • Herpesvirus 8, Human / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 8, Human / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Kidney Transplantation*
  • Monocytes / virology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Postoperative Complications*
  • Prognosis
  • Sarcoma, Kaposi / pathology
  • Sarcoma, Kaposi / virology*
  • Viral Load
  • Viremia / virology*

Substances

  • DNA, Viral