Steroids can be safely withdrawn from cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil-treated renal allograft recipients: long-term results.
BACKGROUND
Discontinuation of steroids has long been a goal of transplant teams. However, whether this strategy is associated or not with a higher risk of long-term graft loss has not been resolved.


METHODS
The authors analyzed a cohort of 91 renal allograft recipients who underwent transplantation between 1993 and 1997. They were treated with cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and then had steroids withdrawn. Inclusion criteria were as follows: serum creatinine lower than 133 microM, first or second renal transplants, no or only one acute rejection episode (borderline or Ia grade), and a peak of panel reactive antibodies under 50%. Prednisone was gradually tapered off and then discontinued over a period of 2 to 4 months.


RESULTS
There were no episodes of acute rejection after steroid withdrawal. Whether steroids were withdrawn before (early) or after (late) 6 months of renal transplantation did not influence outcome. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, patient survival was 93.6% and 100% at 5 years and 93.6% and 97.6% at 10 years in the early and late steroid withdrawal groups, respectively. Graft survival was 94.3% and 98.1% at 5 years and 87.6% and 82.4% at 10 years in the early and late steroid-withdrawal groups, respectively. Risk factors for graft loss in multivariate analysis were peak of panel reactive antibodies (relative risk, 1.074; 95% confidence interval, 1.017-1.134; P=0.01) and acute rejection (relative risk, 16.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-147; P=0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Early and late steroid withdrawal in low-immunologic-risk renal allografts treated with cyclosporine and MMF can be achieved without risk of acute rejection and with excellent long-term results.
Rama
Inés
I
Nephrology Department, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
Cruzado
Josep M
JM
Gil-Vernet
Salvador
S
Torras
Joan
J
Serón
Daniel
D
Castelao
Alberto M
AM
Ibernón
Meritxell
M
Bestard
Oriol
O
Grinyó
Josep M
JM
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007518:Isoantibodies; D016572:Cyclosporine; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid