Canadian clinical trial of antilymphocyte globulin in human cadaver renal transplantation.
A multicentre, randomized clinical trial of antilymphocyte globulin (ALG) was conducted among patients who had undergone cadaver kidney transplantation; follow-up was continued for a minimum of 1 year. Of the 179 patients 92 were given conventional treatment only, while 87 were given in addition ALG (from a standardized, highly immunosuppressive, common pool of equine ALG), 20 mg/kg-d intravenously for 10 days after transplantation. The ALG-treated group had better accumulated graft survival, fewer nephrectomies, better graft function, less than half the number of acute rejection episodes and less prednisone use. There was a beneficial drug (ALG)-related effect in both the graft and the host during the first 3 months after transplantation.
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002102:Cadaver; D002170:Canada; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D003404:Creatinine; D011241:Prednisone