Immunologic parameters as predictive factors of cytomegalovirus disease inrenal allograft recipients

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is a major problem in renal transplant recipi ents, but few predictive markers of the disease are known, Several immunolo gic parameters of potential relevance for the defense against CMV were meas ured after renal transplantation in 25 patients before any manifestations o f CMV infection occurred. In 10 patients who later developed CMV disease, p lasma levels of interleukin-8 were significantly higher, whereas the levels of macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha) were significantl y lower than in 15 patients who did not develop CMV disease, Also, lower nu mbers of CD4(+) and CD8(+) lymphocytes were observed in patients who later had CMV disease. These findings were independent of previous rejection ther apy and were particularly pronounced in patients with primary CMV infection . Interleukin-1 and MIP-1 alpha may be predictive markers of CMV disease an d could be of potential use in selecting patients for prophylactic treatmen t.