Renal allograft outcomes in African American versus Caucasian transplant recipients in the tacrolimus era.
METHODS
Between January 1995 and December 1999, 185 kidney transplants were performed with tacrolimus (TAC)-based immunosuppression including 120 African American (AA, 65%) and 65 Caucasian recipients (C, 35%). Mean follow-up was 34 months. The AA group was characterized by a higher incidence of renal disease due to hypertension (72% AA vs 37% C, P <.001), pretransplant dialysis (95% AA vs 82% C, P =.003), waiting time (1.9 years AA vs 1.1 years C, P =.02), cadaveric donation (88% AA vs 68% C, P =.01), HLA mismatching (mean 3.5 AA vs 2.4 C, P <.001), and delayed graft function (DGF; 50% AA vs 22% C, P =.001).


RESULTS
The 5-year actuarial patient and graft survival rates were 96% AA versus 83% C (P = NS) and 83% AA versus 75% C, (P = NS), respectively. The incidence of acute rejection (21% AA vs 12% C, P = NS) and mean time to acute rejection (12 months AA vs 11 months C) were similar. Although the incidence of chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) was comparable (7% AA vs 5% C), the mean time to CAN was shorter in AA recipients (18 months AA vs 37 months C, P =.03).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest marked improvement in post-transplant outcomes in the TAC era in patients with multiple immunologic risk factors including AA ethnicity, cadaveric donor source, DGF, and HLA mismatching.
Hardinger
K L
KL
Department of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee-Memphis, 38163-2116, USA.
Stratta
R J
RJ
Egidi
M F
MF
Alloway
R R
RR
Shokouh-Amiri
M H
MH
Gaber
L W
LW
Grewal
H P
HP
Honaker
M R
MR
Vera
S
S
Gaber
A O
AO
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D016559:Tacrolimus