title: [Conversion of cyclosporin A therapy to conventional treatment with diagnostic use of aspiration biopsy in kidney transplantation].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Withdrawal of cyclosporin-A from maintenance immunosuppressive therapy involves risk of rejection. The aim of the study was to reduce the risk of rejection and to evaluate the fine-needle aspiration biopsy in predicting rejection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 41 patients 14.4 +/- 2.6 months after the first transplantation of a cadaveric graft with good and stabilized function, cyclosporine was withdrawn from triple-drug therapy while the doses of azathioprine and prednisone were increased. Prior to the change fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) was performed and methylprednisolone 500-250-250 mg administered in 3 days. FNAB was repeated after 2 weeks. 39 patients fulfilling inclusion criteria but ineligible for the switch for different reasons served as a control group. Both groups were comparable in demographic and immunological parameters. Within 3 months after conversion, rejection was observed in 3 patients (7%) vs 2 patients (5%) of the control group over a comparable period of time: and within 6 months in 6 patients (15%) and 3 patients (8%) respectively (NS). No relationship between rejections before and after conversion was found. FNAB appeared to have some predictive value for rejection. In all of the 3 patients experiencing rejection, a rejection pattern was present in the 2nd biopsy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Incorporation of methylprednisolone into conversion therapeutic regime decreased the risk of rejection to 7%. The rejection pattern in the second FNAB after methylprednisolone administration may be predictive for further rejection development.
authors.affiliation: Klinika nefrologie, statistiky IKEM, Praha.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Matl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lácha
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lodererová
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vítko
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lánská
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D008775:Methylprednisolone