Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Following Kidney Transplantation: A Review
Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is one of the most feared complications following kidney transplantation. Over a 10-year period, the risk of PTLD in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) is 12-fold higher than in a matched nontransplanted population. Given the number of kidney transplants performed, KTRs who experience PTLD outnumber other organ transplant recipients who experience PTLD. Epstein-Barr virus infection is one of the most important risk factors for PTLD, even though 40% of PTLD cases in contemporary series are not Epstein-Barr virus–associated.