A Randomized Study of Quantiferon CMV-directed Versus Fixed-duration Valganciclovir Prophylaxis to Reduce Late CMV After Lung Transplantation

摘要

Background. We provide the results of the first interventional study of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific immune monitoring to direct the length of antiviral prophylaxis in lung transplantation (LTx). Methods. Patients (n = 118) at risk of CMV infection were randomized 1:2 to either 5 months or variable length valganciclovir prophylaxis (5-11 mo post-LTx), as determined by the QuantiFERON (QFN)-CMV assay. Patients with a negative QFN-CMV assay ( 600 copies/mL) within the blood was significantly reduced in patients with a positive QFN-CMV assay compared with those without protective immunity (13% versus 67%, P = 0.0003), as was the incidence of severe viremia (> 10 000 copies/mL) (3% versus 50%, P < 0.001). Ceasing antiviral prophylaxis at 11 months in patients with a negative assay was associated with a 25% incidence of late CMV viremia. Conclusions. Cytomegalovirus immune monitoring allows an individualized approach to CMV prophylaxis and reduces late CMV infection within the lung allograft.