Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia is the common complication and main cause of death after kidney transplantation. 
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment methods of pneumonia in kidney transplant patients.
METHODS: Clinical data of 17 cases of pneumonia who received renal transplantation from May 2008 to December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Among 17 patients, 12 patients (70.6%) and 1 patient (5.9%) developed pneumonia within 6 months and 6-12 months respectively after renal transplantation, and 4(23.5%) patients developed pneumonia 12 months later. 14(82.4%) patients obtained pathogenic results, including gram negative bacillus (8 cases, 47.1%), cytomegalovirus (7 cases, 41.2%), gram positive coccus (6 cases, 35.3%), pneumocystis carinii (3 cases, 17.6%), tuberculosis (3 cases, 17.6%),  candidiasis albicans (3 cases, 17.6%), legionella (1 case, 5.9%). Single causative organism could be found in only 5 cases and multiple etiologies were found in 9 cases. No definitive cause could be found in 3 cases. 9 cases (52.9%) survived and 8 cases (47.1%) died. Most of pneumonia in renal transplant recipients can be attributed to multiple organisms. Bronchoscopy is important in the finding of microorganisms. Beside proper antibiotics, combined therapy and adjustment of immunosuppressants are of equal importance.