Endolymphatic irradiation in preparation for renal transplantation: a 26-year's follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to analyze the long-term evolution of patients submitted to endolymphatic irradiation as a pre-transplant preparation.


METHODS
Referral center of university hospital.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
The study was designed to evaluate the incidence of rejection, kidney loss, leukopenia, infection, and graft survival in the group treated (group 1) prior to surgery, compared to a control group (group 2) composed of patients under identical clinical conditions (sex, age, type of donor, immunosuppressive therapy and time of transplant) that did not undergo treatment preparation.


METHODS
Patients were selected from amongst transplantation candidates on a long-term waiting list, some with a high level of antibodies against panel. The control group was chosen from amongst recently transplanted patients. Patients in the treated group received lipoiodine containing 131I with specific activity ranging between 4 and 6 mCu/ml.


RESULTS
A significant difference between the two groups was found with regard to the incidence of rejection crises (21.0% in group 1 and 73.6% in group 2; P = 0.003), and the maintenance dose of azathioprine (smaller in group 1; P < 0.01). As to kidney graft loss due to rejection, a tendency to significance could be identified (10.5% in group 1 and 42.1% in group 2; P = 0.063); however, the difference was not significant between the two groups in terms of reversibility of rejection episodes during the first 60 post-transplant days.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors concluded that this method, besides being relatively innocuous (there was no compromising of either the thyroid gland or of gonad function and there was no increase in tumor incidence), has an extended immunosuppressive effect, and can be indicated for cadaveric renal allograft recipients, especially those showing high panel reactivity.
Galvão
M M
MM
Renal Transplant Unit, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
Peixinho
Z F
ZF
Mendes
N F
NF
Ianhez
L E
LE
Sabbaga
E
E
D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D015182:Lymphatic Irradiation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000379:methods*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D001379:Azathioprine