title: Can the early elimination of calcineurin inhibitors result in clinical benefits?
abstract: Ideally, every kidney should serve its owner for his or her remaining life expectancy. Current approaches with immunosuppression have steadily reduced early rejection rates. However, we have not seen a comparable improvement in graft longevity. Reduction of acute rejection rates should improve survival, unless concurrent nephrotoxicity offsets this benefit. An important question is whether selective substitution of other drugs/biologicals for calcineurin inhibitors will permit adequate immunoprophylaxis, yet improve graft longevity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21202, USA. mweir@medicine.umaryland.edu
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Weir
mesh_terms: D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents