title: Graft irradiation in the treatment of acute rejection of renal transplants: a randomized study.
abstract: A randomized study of graft irradiation in the treatment of acute rejection of renal transplants was conducted from 1978 to 1981. Patients developing clinical signs of an acute graft rejection received customary antirejection treatment in the form of intravenous administration of high-dose (1 gm per day) of methylprednisolone. They were at the same time randomized to either receive therapeutic irradiation (175 rad every other day to a total of 525 rad) or sham irradiation. Neither the patient nor the Transplant Service surgeons knew at any time whether the radiation treatment had been given. Eight-three rejection episodes occurring in 64 grafts were entered into the study. Acute rejection was reversed in 84.5% of grafts in the control and 75% in the treated group. The incidence of recurrent rejection was higher in the treated group (66 vs. 46%) and graft survival was lower (22% vs. 54%). The study failed to demonstrate a beneficial effect of graft irradiation in the treatment of acute renal allograft rejection, when used in conjunction with high dose steroids.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D008775:Methylprednisolone