title: A randomized trial comparing triple-drug and double-drug therapy in renal transplantation. Analysis at 7 years.
abstract: This is the 7-year update of a randomized trial comparing triple (TT) and double (DT) immunosuppressive therapy in renal transplantation. At 7 years, patient survival rate was 85% in DT vs. 87% in TT (P = NS); graft survival rate was 73% in DT and 68% in TT (P = NS); pure graft survival was 86% in DT vs. 77% in TT (P = 0.096). The 7-year graft survival rate was 67% for cadaver graft recipients vs. 92% for living-related graft recipients (P = 0.044). No difference in the slopes of plasma creatinine between the two groups was observed. Ten DT and 13 TT patients changed their original therapy: statistical analysis, however, was carried out according to intention to treat. Both CsA levels and doses were significantly higher in DT than in TT group (P < 0.001) at any time point up to the 7th year. At univariate analysis, a living-related donor kidney (P = 0.044) and immediate recovery of renal function (P < 0.001) were the only two parameters associated with graft survival at 7 years. At multivariate analysis, only early graft function recovery was correlated with late graft survival (RR = 10.480). Thus, even in the longterm, there is no difference between DT and TT, either in patient or in graft survival: at the doses we used, TT had a lower prevalence of late side effects than DT, however, long-term pure graft survival was better, although not significantly, in DT than in TT. The possibility of a safe shift from one regimen to the other one makes the two treatments complementary rather than alternatives.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montagnino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarantino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Banfi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aroldi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cesana
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ponticelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D016572:Cyclosporine; D003404:Creatinine; D001379:Azathioprine; D008775:Methylprednisolone