title: The impact of azathioprine and cyclosporine on long-term function in kidney transplantation.
abstract: To assess the impact of cyclosporine on long-term kidney function in transplant patients, we retrospectively analyzed 273 patients on azathioprine and 308 on CsA with graft functioning at 1 year. To balance the length of follow-ups, the observation of patients was cut at 5 years. Actual graft survival rate at 5 years was similar in Aza and CsA (88% vs. 90%). Multivariate analysis in Aza pts showed that proteinuria (P = 0.006) and hypertension at 1 year (P = 0.002) increased the probability of irreversible graft failure by 2.47 and 2.85, respectively. In CsA patients, proteinuria (P = 0.007) and plasma creatinine higher than 2.5 mg/dl (P = 0.006) increased the probability of graft failure by 5.12 and 6.48, respectively. In both Aza and CsA patients with a follow-up of at least 5 years, plasma creatinine levels were significantly worse at 5 years vs. 1 year (P = 0.004). The slopes of plasma creatinine values plotted vs time were not different between the two groups. Chronic graft dysfunction (CGD) was defined as a stable increase of plasma creatinine of at least 50% above stable values at 1 year. The probability of remaining without CGD at 5 years was 75% for CsA and 80% for Aza patients (P = N.S.). Multivariate analysis of factors influencing the development of CGD showed that hypertension (P = 0.003) and proteinuria at 1 year (P = 0.081) increased the probability of developing CGD by 2.19 and 1.76, respectively, in Aza, while in CsA patients proteinuria only (P = 0.063) increased the probability of developing CGD by 2.29. Graft survival at 5 years after development of CGD was 34% in Aza and 53% in CsA-treated patients. These data confirm that in the long-term CsA does not cause a higher prevalence of CGD and show that, in the presence of CGD, CsA has a superior protective effect than Aza.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Ospedale Maggiore, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montagnino
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colturi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarantino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Banfi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aroldi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Viganó
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cesana
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ponticelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001706:Biopsy; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000502:physiology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003524:Cyclosporins; D001379:Azathioprine