title: Tacrolimus, Mycophenolate Mofetil, and Low-Dose Steroids With or Without Interleukin-2 Receptor Antibody Induction Therapy: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Selective interleukin-2 receptor (IL2R) blockade is one option to decrease acute rejection rates in kidney transplant recipients. However, there are little data on the impact of basiliximab in a triple immunosuppressive regimen (tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and low-dose steroids). Thus, this analysis aims at investigating the impact of basiliximab induction on rejection rates and immediate graft function following kidney transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Basiliximab was introduced in our center according to our center's policy in the beginning of 2011. Patients who received basiliximab (n = 83) were compared with patients without induction therapy (n = 65) transplanted before the introduction of IL2R antibody induction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The use of basiliximab as induction therapy decreased the incidence of biopsy-proven acute rejection (BPAR) within the 1st year after transplantation (21.5% vs 14.5%; P = .283). Overall rejection episodes (including BPAR and borderline rejection) were significantly reduced in patients with basiliximab compared with patients without (41.5% vs 24.1%; P = .033). However, graft function (incidence of delayed graft function, primary nonfunction, slow graft function, and serum creatinine decline) and overall outcome (patient and graft survivals) were similar in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found a favorable impact of basiliximab induction therapy on early acute rejection rate. The impact on long-term outcome must be addressed in further randomized controlled trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: christoph.a.schwarz@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Division of Nephrology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Böhmig
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steininger
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Unger
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kristo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kozakowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Berlakovich
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Soliman
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mühlbacher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077552:Basiliximab; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000601:surgery*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D013256:Steroids; D000077552:Basiliximab; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D016559:Tacrolimus