Rituximab protects against development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease after kidney transplantation: a propensity-matched study

Sci Rep. 2019 Nov 11;9(1):16475. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-52942-8.

Abstract

Recent studies have implicated B cells in atherosclerosis and have verified the atheroprotective effect of rituximab. Rituximab is widely used for desensitization in ABO-incompatible or crossmatch-positive kidney transplantation (KT). Using a single-center KT database, we performed propensity-matched analysis to investigate the association between rituximab and posttransplant atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Among 1299 eligible patients, 239 given rituximab induction were matched with 401 controls in a 1:2 propensity score matching process. The cumulative rate of ASCVD during 8 years of follow-up was significantly lower in rituximab-treated patients, compared with matched controls (3.7% vs. 11.2%; P = 0.012). However, all-cause mortality did not differ by group (2.9% vs. 4%; P = 0.943). In multivariable Cox analysis, rituximab proved independently protective of ASCVD (hazard ratio = 0.34, 95% confidence interval: 0.14-0.83). The lower risk of ASCVD seen with rituximab induction reached significance only in patient subsets of diabetes mellitus, pretransplant dialysis, or older age (>50 years). Rituximab induction confers a lower risk of ASCVD during the posttransplant period. This atheroprotective effect appears particularly beneficial in patients whose risk of ASCVD is heightened.

MeSH terms

  • Atherosclerosis / drug therapy*
  • Atherosclerosis / etiology
  • Atherosclerosis / pathology
  • Blood Group Incompatibility
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / pathology
  • Desensitization, Immunologic / mortality*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use*
  • Kidney Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Rituximab / therapeutic use*
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • Immunologic Factors
  • Rituximab