title: Single shot of alemtuzumab as induction therapy after kidney transplantation is sufficient.
abstract: In an earlier study, we were able to show that Tac monotherapy following 2 × 20 mg alemtuzumab induction is at least as effective as Tac-based triple-drug immunosuppression in cadaveric renal transplantation. We were interested to learn whether 1 × 30 mg of alemtuzumab is as effective as 2 × 20 mg. Patients of the initial study group (group A) received 20 mg alemtuzumab on days 0 and 2, and tac monotherapy from day 2 on. This group acted as control group for the new arm (group C), where patients were given only 1 × 30 mg alemtuzumab on day 0 followed by Tac monotherapy from day 2 on with the same target levels as in the control group. Frequency of rejection at 6 months was 15% in the control group compared to 6% in the study group and 20% at 12 months in group A versus 6% in group C (P = 0.034). Time to rejection was 4.9 months in group A and 0.8 in group C. One-year patient survival was 98.5% in both groups, graft survival 96.9% in group A, and 98.5% in group C. Safety profile was similar in both groups apart from more viral and bacterial infections in group C. Single shot alemtuzumab induction of 30 mg is as effective as 2 × 20 mg in cadaveric renal transplantation.
authors: Universitätsklinik für Visceral-, Transplantations- und Thoraxchirurgie, Innsbruck, Austria. claudia.boesmueller@uki.at
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Boesmueller
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Sieb
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Pascher
authors: Juergen
authors: J
authors: Klempnauer
authors: Ferdinand
authors: F
authors: Muehlbacher
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Strasak
authors: Raimund
authors: R
authors: Margreiter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D016559:Tacrolimus