title: Anti-rejection therapy in renal transplantation: Use of the monoclonal antibody OKT3.
abstract: The success of anti-rejection therapy was evaluated in 65 cadaveric renal allografts immunosuppressed with cyclosporin. All first rejection episodes were treated with 0.5 g methylprednisolone given daily for 3 days. Second rejection episodes were treated with either a further identical 3-day course of methylprednisolone or a 10-14-day course of the monoclonal antibody OKT3. The peak creatinine during second rejection episodes was higher in patients treated with OKT3 (481 +/- 54 mumol/l; mean +/-SEM) than in those treated with methylprednisolone (320 +/- 59 mumol/l) (P = 0.036), suggesting more severe rejection in the OKT3 group. Despite this the rejection reversal rate was higher in the OKT3-treated group (100%) when compared to the high-dose methylprednisolone group (64%) (P less than 0.05) and the creatinine at 6 months was less in the OKT3 group (162 +/- 17 mumol/l) than in the methylprednisolone group (230 +/- 22 mumol/l). These data suggest that OKT3 is a very effective treatment for second rejection episodes following renal transplantation and yields improved renal functions in comparison with high-dose steroids.
authors.affiliation: Transplant Unit, Leicester General Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Donnelly
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Veitch
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Bell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003524:Cyclosporins; D008775:Methylprednisolone