title: Graft survival and long-term renal function after sequential conventional cyclosporin A therapy in cadaver kidney transplantation--a prospective randomized trial.
abstract: In a prospective randomized trial 50 renal transplant patients (group A) received a sequential course of 14 days conventional immunosuppression (Lymphocytoglobulin (ALG), azathioprine, steroids) and cyclosporin and steroids thereafter, while 50 patients (group B) received the conventional immunosuppression for 7 days followed by cyclosporin and steroids. In the latter group ALG was tolerated for the whole period while in the first group conversion from conventional to cyclosporin A therapy had to be performed after a mean of 11 days, due to ALG intolerance. Actual patient survival rates 1 year posttransplant were 100% in both groups and graft survival rates 96% in group A and 86% in group B (P less than 0.05). There was a mean dialysis frequency per patient of 0.7 +/- 2.0 in group A and 1.8 +/- 3.4 in group B (P = 0.064). Serum creatinine 1 year posttransplant was 1.8 +/- 0.8 mg/dl in group A and 2.2 +/- 1.4 in group B. A total of 58 patients had a serum creatinine of less than 2 mg/dl at the time of conversion to cyclosporin. These patients had a significantly better graft survival rate (98.3%) and serum creatinine 1 year posttransplant (1.6 +/- 0.5 mg/dl) than the 40 patients with a serum creatinine of more than 2 mg/dl at the time of conversion (85%; 2.4 +/- 1.4 mg/dl), indicating that a delayed onset of cyclosporin therapy might benefit the kidney in the immediate posttransplant period when it is susceptible to nephrotoxicity due to the damage from hypothermic storage.
authors.affiliation: Chirurgische Universitätsklinik Köln-Lindenthal.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grundmann
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hesse
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wienand
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baldamus
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Arns
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000601:surgery*; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D003524:Cyclosporins; D011239:Prednisolone; D001379:Azathioprine