Clinical results of steroid-free induction immunosuppression after heart transplantation.
Between January 1987 and September 1991, 112 operative survivors of heart transplantation were initially immunosuppressed with cyclosporin A and azathioprine without prednisone. Eighty-eight patients (79%) remained on a regimen of double therapy for a mean follow-up of 25 +/- 15 months (range, 1 to 54 months), whereas 24 patients (21%) had oral prednisone, 5 mg/day, added to maintenance therapy for persistent or repeated rejection. There were 5 early deaths (4%) because of acute rejection (4 patients) or infection (1 patient). Only 1 patient died late after heart transplantation of chronic rejection. Actuarial survival was 95% +/- 2% and 94% +/- 3% at 12 and 48 months, respectively. Mean rate of acute rejection was 1.7 +/- 1.0 episodes per patient, with a 5% +/- 2% freedom from rejection at 48 months. Ten patients (9%) required in-hospital treatment for infection; the actuarial freedom from infectious episodes was 85% +/- 4% at 48 months. Actuarial freedom from hypertension was 43% +/- 7% at 48 months. At annual catheterization, mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 0.64 +/- 0.08 and 0.62 +/- 0.05 at 1 year and 4 years, respectively, with evidence of coronary lesions in 9 patients (8%). In conclusion, steroid-free immunosuppression after heart transplantation is associated with a high incidence of acute rejection. However, the excellent medium-term survival and the low incidence of both infection and chronic rejection seem to justify a wider use of such treatment.
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Padova, Italy.
U
U
Livi
G B
GB
Luciani
G M
GM
Boffa
G
G
Faggian
U
U
Bortolotti
G
G
Thiene
A
A
Mazzucco
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000209:etiology; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016853:Muromonab-CD3 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011241:Prednisone; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D016853:Muromonab-CD3; D016572:Cyclosporine; D001379:Azathioprine; D011241:Prednisone