Quantification of Torque Teno Virus and Epstein-Barr Virus Is of Limited Value for Predicting the Net State of Immunosuppression After Lung Transplantation

Nordén, Rickard; Magnusson, Jesper; Lundin, Anna; Tang, Ka-Wei; Nilsson, Staffan; Lindh, Magnus; Andersson, Lars-Magnus; Riise, Gerdt C; Westin, Johan

For patients with end-stage lung disease, limited life expectancy, and otherwise acceptable physical condition, lung transplantation may be a life-saving therapeutic option. The 5-year survival rate is only approximately 50% in most centers, and 2 major limiting factors for the outcome of lung transplantation are the frequent occurrence of infectious complications and rejection of the transplanted organ [1] . Standard immunosuppression, to prevent graft rejection, consists of a combination of 3 immunosuppressive drugs that subvert B and T cells [2] [3] [4] . Currently, there is a lack of an easy-to-use marker that accurately predicts the net effect of the combined immunosuppression. Such a biomarker would be an important tool in the management of patients with compromised immune function to identify overor underimmunosuppression and evaluate the risk of infectious complications and acute rejections.