Published online Dec 26, 2019. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v7.i24.4334
Peer-review started: May 14, 2019
First decision: September 9, 2019
Revised: October 22, 2019
Accepted: November 14, 2019
Article in press: November 14, 2019
Published online: December 26, 2019
Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a rare severe complication after renal transplantation, with an incidence of approximately 0.3%-2.0% in patients undergoing renal transplantation. The clinical manifestations of PTLD are often nonspecific, leading to tremendous challenges in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of PTLD.
We report two Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive PTLD cases whose main clinical manifestations were digestive tract symptoms. Both of them admitted to our hospital because of extranodal infiltration symptoms and we did not suspect of PTLD until the pathology confirmation. Luckily, they responded well to the treatment of rituximab. We also discuss the virological monitoring, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of PTLD.
PTLD is a deceptive disease and difficult to diagnose. Once patients are confirmed with PTLD, immune suppressant dosage should be immediately reduced and rituximab should be used as first-line therapy.
Core tip: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a rare severe complication after renal transplantation, with an incidence of approximately 0.3%-2.0% in patients undergoing renal transplantation. We report two Epstein-Barr virus-positive PTLD cases whose main clinical manifestations were digestive tract symptoms. As both of them admitted to our hospital because of extranodal infiltration symptoms, we did not suspect of PTLD until the pathology confirmation. We also discuss the virological monitoring, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of PTLD.