Short course induction immunosuppression with thymoglobulin for renal transplant recipients.
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.
Agha
Irfan A
IA
Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Rueda
Jose
J
Alvarez
Alejandro
A
Singer
Gary G
GG
Miller
Brent W
BW
Flavin
Karen
K
Lowell
Jeffrey A
JA
Shenoy
Surendra
S
Howard
Todd K
TK
Ramachandran
Venkataraman
V
Irish
William
W
Schnitzle
Mark A
MA
Brennan
Daniel C
DC
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
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents