Circulating immune complexes in renal transplant patients.

Circulating immune complexes (CIC) were found in 12% of sera from 56 patients before renal allotransplantation. No relationship was found between the presence of CIC before transplantation and the 6 months graft survival. CIC were detected in serial blood samples obtained from 8 out of 30 patients (27%) during the first 6 weeks after transplantation. No relationship was found between CIC and acute rejection episodes. In 3 patients CIC were associated with acute infections. Thus the appearance of CIC shortly after renal transplantation may be an indicator of infection rather than rejection. CIC were detected in 32% of 50 renal transplant recipients who had functioning grafts for more than one year. No association was found between CIC and decreasing graft function, blood pressure or the recipient's original disease. CIC were frequently detected in patients with proteinuria above 3 g/24 hr suggesting a role of CIC in some cases of late renal graft failure.