title: Alternative antirejection treatment with steroids or antilymphoblast globulin in renal transplant patients receiving cyclosporine.
abstract: An alternative antirejection protocol using corticosteroids or ALG for reversal of initial acute rejections was studied during a 2-year period in 112 mismatched renal transplant recipients receiving CsA. The majority of patients were cadaver transplant recipients. Thirty-five initial episodes of acute rejection occurred; twelve patients with early or histologically severe rejection were treated with ALG and 23 patients with late, nonsevere rejection received corticosteroid therapy. The overall success rate was approximately 90%, with 21 of 23 corticosteroid-treated patients and ten of 12 ALG-treated patients responding to therapy. The two treatment modalities did not differ with respect to subsequent hospital admissions for fever, second rejections, graft survival, or patient survival. Corticosteroid-treated patients realized significant cost savings and required a shorter hospital stay when compared to ALG-treated patients. An alternative antirejection treatment protocol may be highly effective, safe, and cost beneficial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Illinois, Chicago 60612.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Veremis
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Maddux
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pollak
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kline
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Mozes
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology*; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D003524:Cyclosporins; D011241:Prednisone