title: Cadaveric renal transplantation with quadruple immunosuppression in patients with a positive antiglobulin crossmatch.
abstract: The significance of the antiglobulin crossmatch in the cyclosporine era remains controversial. Over an 11-month period, 124 recipients of cadaveric renal allografts (109 primary, 15 nonprimary) were retrospectively crossmatched via the antiglobulin technique. Criteria for recipient selection for transplantation included a negative T lymphocytotoxic (CDC) crossmatch for current and historical sera. Fourteen patients (11.3%) underwent transplantation in the setting of a negative T and positive antiglobulin crossmatch. The patient group included 10 female and 4 male patients with a mean age of 43.8 years. All but one patient received a primary transplant, and current sera were positive in the antiglobulin crossmatch in all cases. The mean HLA-ABDR match was 1.4 (range 0-4). Preoperative PRA titers ranged from 0 to 80% (mean 18.3%). All patients underwent successful renal transplantation with quadruple immunosuppression consisting of prednisone, azathioprine, and the sequential use of MALG/cyclosporine. There were no episodes of hyperacute rejection. However, 10 patients (71.4%) experienced acute rejection, including 7 episodes within 4 days of transplant. Early rejection was significantly more common in patients with a positive antiglobulin test (50% vs. 20.9%, P less than 0.05). The mean one-month serum creatinine was 1.7 mg/dl. Actual patient and allograft survival are 92.9% and 85.7%, respectively. Risk factors for a positive antiglobulin crossmatch included female sex and prior sensitization as measured by PRA. Although these patients represent a high-risk group for early rejection, no adverse effect on patient or graft survival was noted with quadruple immunotherapy. In conclusion, a positive antiglobulin crossmatch is no longer a contraindication to renal transplantation with current immunosuppressive strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Madison 53792.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Stratta
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Lorentzen
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Sollinger
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: D'Alessandro
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Pirsch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalayoglu
authors.forename: F O
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Belzer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000032:analysis; D002102:Cadaver; D002648:Child; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic / Q000379:methods; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents