title: Thymoglobulin induction in liver transplant recipients with a tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroid immunosuppressive regimen: a five-year randomized prospective study.
abstract: This randomized, comparative study assessed the long-term efficacy and tolerability of thymoglobulin (TMG) induction in 93 liver transplant patients with an initial regimen of tacrolimus (Tac), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and steroids. Forty-four patients were randomly allocated to the TMG+ group, and 49 patients were randomly allocated to the TMG- group. In both groups, Tac was given orally at the initial daily dose of 0.075 mg/kg twice daily, and MMF was given at the initial daily dose of 2 g/day. Steroid withdrawal was planned at 3 months after liver transplantation. The results were evaluated with respect to acute rejection incidence, patient and graft survival, graft function, and medical complications until 5 years or death for all patients. No significant differences were found between groups for the incidence of acute rejection at 5 years (11.4% versus 14.3%), 5-year patient survival (77.3% versus 87.8%), graft function, or postoperative renal function. One patient in the TMG- group underwent retransplantation. There was no difference between groups with respect to the incidence of medical complications, excepted for a higher rate of leukopenia in the TMG+ group, during the 5-year follow-up. In conclusion, the results of this prospective randomized study suggest that the addition of TMG to a triple immunosuppressive regimen (Tac, MMF, and steroids) did not modify the incidence of acute rejection episodes or long-term survival and was responsible for increased leukopenia rates.
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplant Unit, Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyon, France. boillot@cismsun.univ-lyon1.fr
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Boillot
authors.forename: Belhassen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Seket
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dumortier
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pittau
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boucaud
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bouffard
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Scoazec
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015994:Incidence; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D015996:Survival Rate; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013256:Steroids; C512542:thymoglobulin; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D016559:Tacrolimus