A single-center experience of the use of interleukin-2 receptor antagonists for various situations in liver transplant recipients.
BACKGROUND
Interleukin-2 receptor antagonists (IL2Ra) are used mainly for (1) induction as an adjunct to conventional immunosuppression, (2) induction to facilitate calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) or steroid minimization, and (3) induction to facilitate steroid avoidance in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive recipients. The aim of this study was to present our strategy for IL2Ra rescue therapy and its outcome.


METHODS
A total of 20 patients were treated with IL2Ra at our institute for the following indications: (1) rescue for acute rejection (n = 13), (2) CNI sparing in cases of CNI toxicity (n = 5), and (3) induction for complicated cases (n = 2).


RESULTS
Rescue therapy for steroid-resistant rejection and rejection in HCV-positive recipients was successful in 11 cases, but 2 grafts were lost due to uncontrollable rejection. CNI cessation was successfully achieved with IL2Ra treatment in 3 cases with thrombotic microangiopathy and 2 cases of encephalopathy, with complete cure of these life-threatening complications of CNI. Induction with IL2Ra was successful in 2 complicated cases, 1 for CNI sparing due to renal failure and the other for adjunct immunosuppression in a case of positive lymphocytotoxic crossmatch. The overall patient/graft survival and the rate of infectious complications were comparable between those with and without IL2Ra treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
IL2Ra could be safely and effectively used after liver transplantation in various situations.
Artificial Organ and Transplantation Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Surgery, Tokyo Rosai Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
J
J
Togashi
Artificial Organ and Transplantation Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: yasusuga-tky@umin.net.
Y
Y
Sugawara
Artificial Organ and Transplantation Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Tokyo, Japan.
N
N
Akamatsu
Artificial Organ and Transplantation Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Tokyo, Japan.
S
S
Tamura
Organ Transplantation Service, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
T
T
Tanaka
Artificial Organ and Transplantation Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Tokyo, Japan.
J
J
Kaneko
Artificial Organ and Transplantation Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Tokyo, Japan.
T
T
Aoki
Artificial Organ and Transplantation Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Tokyo, Japan.
Y
Y
Sakamoto
Artificial Organ and Transplantation Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Tokyo, Japan.
K
K
Hasegawa
Artificial Organ and Transplantation Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Tokyo, Japan.
N
N
Kokudo
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077552:Basiliximab; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000077552:Basiliximab