title: Short course induction immunosuppression with thymoglobulin for renal transplant recipients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to demonstrate that 3-days of induction immunosuppression with thymoglobulin was as effective and safe as a 7-day course and reduced initial hospitalization after transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, nonrandomized trial of 40 consecutive patients receiving thymoglobulin induction for 3 days and followed for 1 year. An historical group of 48 patients that received 7 days of thymoglobulin served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 1 year, acute rejection (5 vs. 4%), graft survival (95 vs. 98%) and patient survival were similar; a composite end point of freedom from death, rejection, or graft loss, the event-free graft survival, was similar as was the safety profile. In the 3-day group, lymphocyte depletion was more sustained and initial hospitalization was significantly shorter (6 vs. 8 days).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three-day induction with thymoglobulin is as effective and safe as seven days, decreases initial hospitalization and causes more sustained lymphocyte depletion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Irfan A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Agha
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rueda
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Gary G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Brent W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Flavin
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lowell
authors.forename: Surendra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shenoy
authors.forename: Todd K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Venkataraman
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Irish
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schnitzle
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Brennan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents