Using mTOR Inhibitors in the Prevention of BK Nephropathy
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2016-12-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
BK virus infections after kidney transplant are increasing and can result in damage to the
transplanted kidney. Currently, the universally accepted treatment is to decrease the
strength of the antirejection medications but it is unclear what medications should be
lowered and to what extent. The investigators propose to perform a study with patients who
have BK virus detected in their blood during routine screening that appears to be increasing.
The investigators will use two different strategies that involve different combinations of
standard anti-rejection medications at lower dosages. Patients will be assigned to one of the
two groups in a random manner across the two hospitals participating in the study. Patients
will be followed for at least a year to determine if one strategy was more effective than the
other in preventing an increase in the number of viruses in the blood stream and whether
either one was more effective in reducing the negative impact of the infection on the
functioning of the transplanted kidney.