title: Campath-1H as rescue therapy for the treatment of acute rejection in kidney transplant patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kidney transplant patients with acute rejection episodes refractory to antilymphocyte preparations require aggressive treatment to salvage renal function and reduce the progression of chronic allograft nephropathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a 6-month period, we administered Campath-1H as salvage therapy to five patients who had been previously treated with thymoglobulin and/or OKT3. In addition to measurements of the serum creatinine and BUN levels, we estimated creatinine clearance and glomerular filtration rates (GFR) using the Cockcroft-Gault and the MDRD equations at the time of initiation of therapy as well as at 2 weeks and 2 months thereafter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four of the five patients responded to Campath-1H therapy; kidney function improved to nearly the level before the rejection episode. The estimated creatinine clearance increased approximately threefold and the GFR approximately fourfold higher than the values before Campath-1H administration. The adverse events were mild and self-limited.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Salvage of refractory acute rejection episodes may be possible in selected patients using Campath-1H.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunology and Organ Transplantation. The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Csapo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benavides-Viveros
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Podder
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pollard
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Kahan
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000074323:Alemtuzumab