title: Tacrolimus in induction immunosuppressive treatment in renal transplantation: comparison with cyclosporine.
abstract: The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of induction immunosuppression therapies based on tacrolimus or cyclosporine (CsA) in kidney transplantation. The 240 kidney allograft recipients were divided into two groups: group 1 (n=94) received tacrolimus (.01 mg/kg per day), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF, 2 g/d), and steroids (30 mg/d); and group 2 (n=146) CsA (6 mg/kg per day), MMF (2 g/d), and steroids (30 mg/d). Antilymphocyte serum was administered in cases of acute tubular necrosis. The acute rejection rate was higher among group 2 (30.6%) compared with group 1 patients (12.2%) (P=.001). There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of age, gender, body surface area, serologic virus markers (in donor and recipient), baseline creatinine levels, cause of death, HLA incompatibilities, response to acute tubular necrosis, and number of dialysis sessions. We conclude that both immunosuppressive regimens are effective and safe in kidney transplantation. The survival rates of patients and grafts were similar, but the incidence and degree of acute rejection events were reduced in group 1; this finding may forecast a decreased incidence of chronic renal allograft nephropathy.
authors.affiliation: Renal Transplantation Unit, Fundació Puigvert, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Solà
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guirado
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sainz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gich
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Picazo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abreu
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alcaraz
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015994:Incidence; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015996:Survival Rate; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D016559:Tacrolimus