Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation: analysis of rejection.
The 3-year data concerning the occurrence of rejection episodes (RE) are reported herein.


METHODS
Two hundred five simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantations were performed from May 1998 to September 2000, including 103 patients randomly assigned to tacrolimus (Tac) and 102 to cyclosporine microemulsion (CsA-ME). All patients received concomitant rATG induction therapy, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and short-term corticosteroids.


RESULTS
After a follow-up of 3 years, acute rejection episodes occurred in 41 patients receiving tacrolimus and in 51 patients receiving CsA ME. The majority of first rejection episodes in both groups occurred during the first 6 months (93% and 90%, respectively) and in most cases were treated with corticosteroids (88% and 90%). Actuarial rejection-free graft survival was not significantly different between the two groups (54% and 44% at 3 years posttransplant). In a multivariate analysis, HLA compatibility (P = .003) and graft vessel extension (P = .0005) had a significant influence on rejection-free survival. Rejection influenced pancreatic graft survival (P = .01) and pancreatic graft loss owing to rejection influenced patient survival (P = .02). In the intent-to-treat analysis of early rejection, first moderate-to-severe episodes (1 of 40 versus 12 of 47; P = .004) and refractory episodes (2 of 40 versus 10 of 47; P = .03) were significantly lower with tacrolimus than with CsA ME. Pancreatic graft survival was worse among late rejectors (53%) than nonrejectors (86%; P = .002). In addition, serum creatinine was highest in late rejectors. In conclusion, Tac-based immunosuppressive therapy shows advantages over CsA ME in terms of the severity of acute rejection episodes among patients undergoing SPK transplantation.
Malaise
J
J
EUROSPK Central Office, Brussels, Belgium. jacques.malaise@chir.ucl.ac.be
Arbogast
H
H
Illner
W D
WD
Tarabichi
A
A
Dieterle
C
C
Landgraf
R
R
Land
W
W
Van Ophem
D
D
Squifflet
J P
JP
D000208:Acute Disease; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents