title: Pilot study of early corticosteroid elimination after pancreas transplantation.
abstract: Early corticosteroid withdrawal has recently been shown to be possible in recipients of simultaneous pancreas kidney transplants; however, its feasibility in solitary pancreas recipients has not been documented. In the present study, we provide evidence that early withdrawal can be achieved in pancreas as well as pancreas-kidney recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty type I diabetics underwent 13 pancreas-kidney transplants and 7 pancreas-only transplants with early withdrawal (methylprednisone 6-day taper). Additional immunosuppression consisted of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and thymoglobulin induction (five doses).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transplants included 13 pancreas-kidney, 6 pancreas after kidney transplant, and 1 pancreas after islet transplant. Overall mean follow-up was 7.3 months. One episode of pancreas transplant rejection after pancreas-only transplant was detected on protocol biopsy without biochemical abnormalities. One renal allograft rejection occurred 65 days posttransplant in a pancreas-kidney recipient and was graded as a Banff IA rejection. A single pancreas graft loss occurred due to thrombosis 6 days after pancreas-kidney transplantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that relatively short thymoglobulin induction (five doses) with tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil can allow early withdrawal in both pancreas-kidney and pancreas-only transplant recipients.
authors.affiliation: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45249, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hanaway
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roy-Chaudhury
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Buell
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Munda
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Alloway
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ellison
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rudich
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Woodle
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000601:surgery*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009820:Ohio; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D044469:Racial Groups
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents