title: Reversal of cardiac transplant rejection without massive immunosuppression.
abstract: Although cyclosporine has decreased the severity of acute cardiac transplant rejection, most centers have continued to use high-dose intravenous steroids to treat acute rejection. To minimize the morbidity of antirejection therapy, acute rejection episodes in 37 cardiac transplant recipients were treated prospectively with only a boost of oral prednisone. Cyclosporine was continued at the same maintenance dose while oral prednisone was increased to 100 mg/day for 3 days, then rapidly tapered over 1 week to the maintenance dose. Seventy-six of 85 acute rejection episodes (90%) showed histologic resolution of mycocyte necrosis on repeat biopsy. Three acute rejection episodes (3.5%) resolved only after "rescue therapy" with intravenous steroid, and an additional three episodes (3.5%) required the combination of intravenous steroid and rabbit antithymocyte globulin to effect resolution. In addition, three acute rejection episodes (3.5%) resulted in graft loss. This was fatal in two patients and one patient underwent successful retransplantation. Oral steroid therapy alone is adequate therapy for most acute rejection episodes in cyclosporine-treated heart transplant recipients, and low infectious morbidity and mortality has been associated with this antirejection protocol.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000187:drug effects*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000139:chemically induced; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D003524:Cyclosporins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011241:Prednisone