title: Improved long-term allograft function in pediatric renal transplantation with mycophenolate mofetil.
abstract: MMF has been shown to decrease the incidence of acute rejection in children and adults at 1 and 3 yr. Other beneficial effects of MMF have been more difficult to demonstrate. Our open-labeled study presents a 5-yr data for patients and graft survival, allograft function, and growth in MMF-treated patients. The trial included 29 patients who were treated with MMF in combination with cyclosporine and methylprednisone. Patients were compared with a preceding group of 29 patients treated with AZA instead of MMF. Patient and graft survival rate 5 yr after transplantation were 97 and 90% in the MMF group vs. 93 and 83% in the AZA group (p: NS). Acute rejection was 20.6% in the MMF group vs. 58.6% in the AZA group (p < 0.01). Chronic rejection was 10.3% in the MMF group and 25% in the AZA group (p: NS). The changes in the creatinine clearance from baseline to 5 yr (Delta) were different between groups (-6.0 +/- 5.1 mL/min/1.73 m(2) in the MMF group vs. -22.2 +/- 7.6 mL/min/1.73 m(2) in the AZA group, p < 0.05). Also, the slope of 1/Scr showed a significant lower incidence of worsening renal function after the second year of renal transplantation (p < 0.0001) in the MMF group compared with the AZA group. Delta Height SDS in prepubertal patients was 0.3 +/- 0.4 SDS in the MMF group vs. -0.8 +/- 0.2 SDS in the AZA group (p < 0.05). This study shows that long-term MMF therapy has resulted in a decrease in acute rejection and was associated with a protection against renal function deterioration. The use of MMF enables a reduction in the dose of steroids and leads to a linear growth improvement of children after renal transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Nefrología Pediátrica, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. jferraris@intramed.net.ar
authors.forename: Jorge R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ferraris
authors.forename: Lidia F R
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Ghezzi
authors.forename: Graciela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vallejo
authors.forename: Juan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Piantanida
authors.forename: Jose L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Araujo
authors.forename: Ernesto T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Sojo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D003404:Creatinine; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D008775:Methylprednisolone