title: Long-term graft outcome in patients with chronic allograft dysfunction after immunosuppression modifications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This retrospective study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of immunosuppression conversion on progression of chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred-seventy four cyclosporin (CsA)-treated renal transplant recipients were studied. Patients were included if they had a biopsy-proven CAN (mild to moderate) with serum creatinine < or =3.5 mg/dL. Patients were treated with either: (A) MMF/reduced dose CsA [MMF for azathioprine (Aza)] (n=132); (B) Aza/Tac for CsA (n=42). Patient records were checked for graft function and survival, co-morbidities after conversion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean follow-up before conversion was 52.2+/-31.1 and 47.9+/-27.4 month in-group A and B, respectively. There was a significant deterioration of graft function in-group B after 5-years (P<0.5). Ten-year actuarial graft survival was 38% in-group A and 19% in-group B (P=0.04). Nine patients started dialysis within 12 months. Tacrolimus-treated patients had a lower insignificant incidence of hyperlipidemia (P=0.05), but a significantly higher incidence of diabetes mellitus (P=0.04).There was no significant change or difference in blood pressure between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that in patients with CAN and deteriorating allograft function, CsA minimization and addition of MMF achieved favorable efficacies in retarding the decline of graft function. Further prospective studies with larger cohorts are needed for validation.
authors.affiliation: Urology & Nephrology Center, University of Mansoura, Mansoura, Egypt. amgadelagroudy@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Amgad E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: El-Agroudy
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: El-Dahshan
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Baz
authors.forename: Ahmed A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shokeir
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ghoneim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D001379:Azathioprine; D016559:Tacrolimus