Aim: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation and disease in immunocompromised individuals is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Preventive measures such as anti-viral prophylaxis or surveillance and pre-emptive therapy effectively reduced CMV disease in solid organ transplant but have not been evaluated among patients with glomerulonephritis at-risk for CMV disease after immunosuppressive therapy. We evaluated the utility and outcomes of a risk-stratified approach to anti-viral prophylaxis for adults with glomerulonephritis treated with potent immunosuppressants. Methods: Single-center retrospective cohort study of adults with glomerulonephritis and renal vasculitis prescribed methylprednisolone, cyclophosphamide or rituximab in a tertiary referral centre. A risk-stratified approach to CMV anti-viral prophylaxis was implemented in March 2015. We compared the incidence of CMV disease in the pre-implementation (January 2008-December 2014) and post-implementation (June 2015-June 2017) groups. Results: We studied 119 individuals: 85 in the pre-implementation group and 34 in the post-implementation group. The post-implementation group had worse kidney function, greater proteinuria, higher prednisolone dose and more received intravenous methylprednisolone and plasma exchanges but CMV disease within 6 months was similar to the pre-implementation group (2.9% vs. 3.5%, p = 1.00). Among individuals in the post-implementation group who satisfied criteria to receive anti-viral prophylaxis (n = 21), CMV disease was more frequent in the group not given prophylaxis compared to those given prophylaxis as recommended (8.3% versus 0%, p = 1.00). Adverse events related to anti-viral prophylaxis occurred in 40%. Conclusion: This study provided pilot data for future randomized controlled trials to evaluate CMV preventive strategies in selected high-risk patients with glomerulonephritis or renal vasculitis.
Keywords: Immunosuppression; opportunistic infection; prophylaxis; surveillance; valganciclovir.