Toxic effects of heavy metal exposure in solid organ transplant recipients

Abstract

Heavy metal toxicity has recently been described in solid organ transplant recipients. Allograft dysfunction or failure associated with arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt and lead exposure have been reported, largely in renal transplant recipients, but also in small numbers of heart transplant recipients and a few liver and lung recipients. Conclusions: [1] In kidney transplant patients, highest tertile arsenic, cadmium and lead plasma levels were associated with increased allograft loss, compared to lower tertile levels; [2] Deteriorating metal hip prostheses may rarely cause heart failure due to cobalt and chromium cardiac toxicity in heart transplant and non-heart transplant patients, which resolves with prosthesis replacement; [3] Heavy metal testing should be considered in patients with multiple risk factors including occupational and environmental exposure, lower socioeconomic status, and multiple morbidities which could be associated with heavy metal toxicity; [4] Chelation therapy, used successfully in some non-transplant patients with chronic renal failure, has not been used systematically in transplant patients and studies are needed