Table 4.
Characteristics of transplant recipients in relation to circulating levels of H3cit and PAD4.
| Low vs High H3cit | Low vs High PAD4 | |||||
| Variable | Q1–3 n = 53 | Q4 n = 42 | P-value | Q1–3 n = 65 | Q4 n = 30 | P-value |
| NETosis markers | ||||||
| H3cit, ng/mL | < 27.1 | ≥ 27.1 | – | 16.5 [5.8–31.4] | 47.6 [27.9–60.7] | < .0001 |
| PAD4, ng/mL | 2.0 [1.0–4.9] | 7.3 [4.5–11.9] | < .0001 | < 6.8 | ≥ 6.8 | – |
| Transplant characteristics | ||||||
| Donor age, years | 39.8 ± 11.7 | 41.6 ± 9.9 | .438 | 41.0 ± 11.1 | 39.6 ± 10.6 | .569 |
| Recipient age, years | 31.6 ± 9.2 | 30.2 ± 7.8 | .421 | 31.6 ± 9.6 | 29.6 ± 5.8 | .838 |
| Combination of donor/recipient sex, n (%) | .814 | .650 | ||||
| Male/Male | 17 (32.1) | 13 (31.0) | 19 (29.2) | 11 (36.7) | ||
| Male/Female | 9 (17.0) | 6 (14.3) | 10 (15.4) | 5 (16.7) | ||
| Female/Male | 18 (34.0) | 18 (42.8) | 24 (36.9) | 12 (40.0) | ||
| Female/Female | 8 (15.1) | 5 (11.9) | 11 (16.9) | 2 (6.6) | ||
| Unknown/Male | 1 (1.8) | 0 (0) | 1 (1.5) | 0 (0) | ||
| Induction therapy, n (%) | .837 | .909 | ||||
| BSX | 22 (41.5) | 20 (47.6) | 28 (43.1) | 14 (46.7) | ||
| THY | 21 (39.6) | 17 (40.5) | 27 (41.5) | 11 (36.7) | ||
| THY, IVIG | 7 (13.2) | 4 (9.5) | 7 (10.8) | 4 (13.3) | ||
| THY, IVIG, RIX, PPH | 1 (1.9) | 0 (0) | 1 (1.5) | 0 (0) | ||
| THY, IVIG, BSX, PPH | 1 (1.9) | 0 (0) | 1 (1.5) | 0 (0) | ||
| THY, IVIG, PPH | 1 (1.9) | 1 (2.4) | 1 (1.5) | 1 (3.3) | ||
| Immunosuppression, n (%) | .206 | .021 | ||||
| TAC/MMF/PDN | 49 (92.5) | 35 (83.3) | 61 (93.8) | 23 (76.7) | ||
| CYA/MMF/PDN | 4 (7.5) | 7 (16.7) | 4 (6.2) | 7 (23.3) | ||
| Laboratory measurements | ||||||
| Hb, g/dL | 12.7 ± 1.7 | 13.4 ± 1.8 | .060 | 12.6 ± 1.7 | 13.8 ± 1.6 | .002 |
| WBC count, x 103/μL | 5.8 [4.1–7.8] | 6.3 [5.4–7.6] | .215 | 6.1 [4.1–7.8] | 6.2 [5.4–7.6] | .459 |
| Neutrophils x 103/μL | 3.8 [2.8–4.8] | 4.0 [3.2–4.8] | .259 | 3.8 [2.7–5.0] | 3.8 [3.2–4.7] | .628 |
| Lymphocytes, x 103/μL | 1.1 [0.7–2.1] | 1.6 [1.1–2.1] | .152 | 1.4 [0.8–2.2] | 1.6 [1.0–2.1] | .398 |
| Platelets, x 103/μL | 256 [215–298] | 291 [245–330] | .026 | 267 [230–314] | 268 [229–319] | .933 |
| N/L ratio | 3.8 ± 3.2 | 3.6 ± 3.4 | .664 | 4.0 ± 3.7 | 3.2 ± 2.1 | .651 |
| P/L ratio | 0.3 ± 0.3 | 0.2 ± 0.2 | .374 | 0.3 ± 0.3 | 0.2 ± 0.2 | .208 |
| Urea, mmol/L | 7 [6–8] | 7 [6–9] | .557 | 7 [6–9] | 6 [6–9] | .808 |
| sCr, μmol/L | 105 [81–139] | 107 [91–137] | .851 | 105 [81–139] | 111 [95–130] | .611 |
| eGFR, mL/min/1.73m2 | 72.7 [54.1–92.9] | 78.7 [59.4–97.1] | .378 | 75.2 [56–100.7] | 76.8 [57.7–91.0] | .858 |
| Glucose, mg/dL | 88 [82–94] | 86 [81–96] | .713 | 88 [81–97] | 85 [81–91] | .210 |
Data are expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean or median [IQR]. The P-values for continuous variables were calculated with unpaired t-test (parametric comparisons) or the Mann-Whitney U test (non-parametric comparisons). The P-values for categorical variables were calculated with Pearson Chi-square test or Fisher exact test. P < .05 is considered statistically significant. BSX = basiliximab, CYA = cyclosporine A, eGFR = estimated glomerular filtration rate, H3cit = citrullinated histone H3, IVIG = intravenous immunoglobulin, L = lymphocyte, MMF = mycophenolate mofetil, N = neutrophil, P = platelet, PAD4 = Peptidyl arginine deiminase 4, PDN = prednisone, PPH = plasmapheresis, RIX = rituximab, sCr = serum creatinine, TAC = tacrolimus, THY = thymoglobulin, WBC = white blood cells.