Abstract
Evidence regarding the use of bortezomib-containing schemes in primary treatment of antibody-mediated rejection in heart transplant recipients is scarce. This case report presents the clinical experience with upstream use of bortezomib in primary treatment of early antibody-mediated rejection in an adult heart transplant recipient. Two cycles of bortezomib together with methylprednisolone, immunoadsorption, rituximab, and supplementary doses of intravenous immunoglobulin G reversed signs of heart failure, production of donor-specific antibodies, and findings of antibody-mediated rejection in biopsy. This treatment regimen was tolerated with only mild hematologic toxicity and proved to be successful during a 12-month follow-up. Primary treatment with a bortezomib-containing regimen appears to be a new therapeutic option for severe antibody-mediated rejection in heart transplant recipients. However, the efficacy and safety of this treatment need to be tested in prospective trials.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.