title: Role of basiliximab in the prevention of acute cellular rejection in adult to adult living-related liver transplantation: a single center experience.
abstract: We report our single center experience with the use of basiliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody directed against the alpha chain of the interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor (CD25), in combination with a steroid- and tacrolimus-based regimen in adult to adult living-related liver transplantation (ALRLT). Sixty consecutive ALRLTs were analyzed. All patients received two 20-mg doses of basiliximab (days 0 and 4 after transplantation) followed by tacrolimus (0.15 mg/kg/day; 10-15 ng/mL target trough levels) and a dose regimen of steroids (starting with 20 mg iv, switched to po as soon as the patient was able to eat, and weaned off within 1-2 months). Follow-up ranged from 6 to 1699.4 days after transplantation (mean 517.5 days, SD +/- 413.4; median 424 days). Of the recipients, 95% remained rejection-free during follow-up, with an actuarial rejection-free probability of 96.61% within 3 months. Three patients had episodes of biopsy-proven acute cellular rejection (ACR). Actuarial patient and graft survival rates at 3 years were 82.09% and 75.61%. Six patients (10%) experienced sepsis. There was no evidence of cytomegalovirus infections or side-effects related to the basiliximab. We found zero de novo malignancy, although we observed 5 patients with metastatic spread of their primary malignancy during the follow-up. Basiliximab in association with tacrolimus and steroids is effective in reducing episodes of ACR and increasing ACR-free survival after ALRLT.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Mediterraneo Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione (IsMeTT), Italy, Palermo, Italy; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Italy, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gruttadauria
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mandalà
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Biondo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spampinato
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lamonaca
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Volpes
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vizzini
authors.forename: Jw
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcos
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gridelli
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