title: HLA-identity--long-term renal graft survival, acute vascular, chronic vascular, and acute interstitial rejection.
abstract: The object is analysis of the impact of acute and chronic rejection on long-term function in HLA-identical renal transplants performed from 1967 to 1995 by the Saskatchewan Renal Transplant Unit. Forty-eight grafts in 46 patients were studied, of which 39 were first and nine second grafts. Forty-two were for primary and six for secondary renal disease. Thirty-five received azathioprine/prednisone prophylaxis, and 13 received cyclosporine/prednisone with/without azathioprine. Ten-year all graft actuarial survival was 84%, 10-year actuarial graft survival in patients with primary renal disease 90%, and with subsequent graft after first HLA graft failed 97.5%, for age-matched population 98.5% (P=NS). Overall death rate was 8.7% (4/46); in secondary renal disease patients 50% (3/6); in primary renal disease patients 2.5% (1/40, P=0.004). All (9/9) HLA-identical second grafts functioned. Acute rejection with azathioprine/prednisone prophylaxis occurred in 55% (9/17) of grafts treated with <6 pre-graft blood transfusions, with the same prophylaxis but >5 units in 12% (2/16, P=0.015), and with cyclosporine prophylaxis in 13% (2/15, P=0.021). Pulse steroids alone reversed all acute rejection. Grafts failed in 6.2% (3/48), all in primary renal disease patients and one from technical one noncompliance, and one chronic rejection. Graft cost/patient/year amortized over 9 years is $3,855 and comparable dialysis cost would be $35,650; cost for all patients on dialysis for 9 years would be $11,293,320 while comparable graft cost was 1,221,418, a savings of 89.2%. Our conclusions are that HLA-identity associates with the following: (1) a 10-year actuarial survival in primary renal disease that equals that of the age-matched population, (2) uniform success in repeat grafts, (3) virtual absence of chronic rejection despite a high incidence of acute rejection in azathioprine/prednisone grafts that (4) always reversed on pulse steroids, and (5) a cost reduction for grafting of 93.2% compared with dialysis therapy.
authors.affiliation: Baltzan Clinic and Department of Medicine, College of Medicine of the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Baltzan
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Shoker
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Baltzan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000276:immunology*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens