title: Renal allograft outcomes following early corticosteroid withdrawal in Hispanic transplant recipients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Renal transplant outcomes in Hispanics have been conflicting regarding acute rejection (AR) and allograft survival. Additionally, the feasibility of early corticosteroid withdrawal (ECW) regimens among Hispanics has not been adequately addressed. The purpose of this study is to report outcomes following ECW among Hispanic renal transplant recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed 498 consecutive renal transplants performed at our institution between July 2005 and October 2007, including 73 Hispanic and 146 white recipients who had ECW (median follow-up 49 months). Demographics, transplant data, and outcomes of Hispanic and white recipients (WR) were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hispanics had a higher incidence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension (p = 0.007), a higher proportion of blood type O (p = 0.006), and a higher serum panel reactive antibody at the time of transplantation (p = 0.02) compared with WR. Additionally, Hispanics were on dialysis longer than WR prior to transplantation (p = 0.03). Nevertheless, the incidence of AR, patient, and graft survival rates was similar (p > 0.05) between Hispanics and WR. Ethnicity was not an independent predictor of inferior patient and graft outcomes in multivariate analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our single-center experience indicates that ECW can be performed in Hispanic renal transplant recipients, with patient and allograft outcomes comparable with those observed in WR.
authors.affiliation: Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Cheguevara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Afaneh
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Meredith J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Aull
authors.forename: Anthony C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Leeser
authors.forename: Sandip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kapur
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D051799:Delayed Graft Function / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents
keywords: Hispanic; early corticosteroid withdrawal; kidney transplant; outcome; renal allograft; steroid-free; white recipients