De novo tacrolimus-induced thrombotic microangiopathy in the early stage after renal transplantation successfully treated with conversion to everolimus.

BACKGROUND

Calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-induced thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a rare complication after renal transplantation. It may be difficult to distinguish from CNI toxicity and acute antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). Its clinical presentation may vary from isolated localised forms up to catastrophic systemic presentations.

CASE

We report a case of tacrolimus-induced TMA soon after renal transplantation in an 11-year-old boy who received his second renal transplantation. His first graft was lost because of AMR. On day 12 after his second renal transplantation, his renal function started worsening and a kidney biopsy was performed, which showed histopathological signs of TMA. The diagnosis of tacrolimus-induced TMA was established after excluding AMR and other causes of de novo TMA. Genetic complement investigation disclosed two complement factor H risk polymorphisms as possible modifiers of TMA emergence. Treatment was based on replacing tacrolimus with everolimus, with a subsequent normalisation of renal function.

CONCLUSION

A prompt diagnosis of de novo TMA by early allograft biopsy is essential for the allograft outcome and genetic investigations for possible complement abnormalities are reasonable, not only for patients with a systemic aspect of their post-transplant TMA. Replacing tacrolimus with everolimus effectively controlled the TMA and stabilised renal function in our patient.