Early diagnosis and successful treatment of acute antibody-mediated rejection of a renal transplant.

Antibody-mediated rejection is a delicate situation. It rarely occurs but when it does, it usually results in graft dysfunction and frequently, graft loss. There has been no standard protocol for treating antibody-mediated rejection, although several therapeutic protocols have been recommended. Early detection and treatments of suspected antibody-mediated rejection can secure the graft and improve its function. Here, we describe a typical case of antibody-mediated rejection in a 46-year-old woman who was successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, plasmapheresis, and the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab.