title: Kidney transplant half-life (t[1/2]) after rapid discontinuation of prednisone.
abstract: Protocols incorporating rapid discontinuation of prednisone (RDP) after kidney transplantation have been associated with good short-term results. However, concern remains that RDP will be associated with decreased long-term graft survival rates. We compared kidney transplant half-life (t1/2) for recipients treated with antibody induction, calcineurin inhibitor, antimetabolite, and RDP versus historical controls treated with antibody induction, calcineurin inhibitor, antimetabolite, and maintenance prednisone. For both living and deceased donor recipients, we found no difference between groups. We also found no differences in rate of graft loss to acute rejection or to tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis. Our study suggests that long-term graft outcome is not decreased when using RDP protocols versus chronic maintenance prednisone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. matas001@umn.edu
authors.forename: Arthur J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Matas
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gillingham
authors.forename: Raja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kandaswamy
authors.forename: Ty B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: David E R
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Sutherland
authors.forename: Abhinav
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Humar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011241:Prednisone