title: Comparison of the Effect of Alemtuzumab versus Standard Immune Induction on Early Kidney Allograft Function in Shiraz Transplant Center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Induction therapy regimens classified as conventional immunosuppressive agents and lower doses of conventional agents combined with antibodies against T-cell antigens have been purposed to prevent acute rejection after renal transplantation. Various induction agents with different doses and durations have been suggested based on the risk profile of patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the acute rejection rate (total rate and based on the type of induction therapy regimen) during the first year after kidney transplantation, the type of acute rejection based on Banff classification and to determine the associations between rate of acute rejection, type of the rejection and induction therapy regimen.
  
  
  METHODS
  249 kidney transplant candidates were divided into two groups-low-risk patients (n=208) who received conventional immunosuppressive agents, and high-risk patients (n=41) who received alemtuzumab-and followed for one year to detect acute rejection first diagnosed clinically, and confirmed by percutaneous kidney biopsy based on Banff criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total incidence of acute rejection was 19.6% (20.7% of the low-risk and 14.4% of the high-risk patients). The most prevalent types of the acute rejection in patients treated with conventional immunosuppressive agents and patients received alemtuzumab as induction therapy were grade IB and grade IA, respectively. The incidence of acute rejection among recipients received a kidney from a deceased donor was 20.6% and grade IA was the most prevalent type (6.9%) whereas the most prevalent grade of acute rejection in patients who received living donor grafts was IB (8.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the expected greater risk for acute rejection among high-risk patients, no significant difference was observed between low- and high-risk patients, which may be justified by the greater efficacy of alemtuzumab compared with standard triple induction therapy in reducing the rate of acute rejection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khalafi-Nezhad
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Nephro-Urology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sagheb
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, Cell and Molecular Research Group, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amirmoezi
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jowkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Dehghanian
keywords: Alemtuzumab; Graft rejection; Immunosuppressive agents; Induction therapy; Kidney transplantation