title: Corticosteroid minimization in renal transplantation: Careful patient selection enables feasibility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the benefits and harms of corticosteroid (CS) minimization following renal transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  CS minimization attempts to improve cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia), to enhance growth in children, to ameliorate bone disease and to lead to better compliance with immunosuppressive agents. Nevertheless, any benefit must be carefully weighed against the reduction in net immunosuppression and the potential harm to renal allograft function and survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete CS avoidance or very early withdrawal (i.e., no CS after post-transplant day 7) seems to be associated with better outcomes in comparison with later withdrawal. However, an increased incidence of CS-sensitive acute rejection has been observed with all CS minimization strategies. Among the prerequisites for the safe application of CS minimization protocols are the administration of induction immunosuppression and the inclusion of calcineurin inhibitors in maintenance immunosuppression regimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transplant recipients at low immunological risk (primary transplant, low panel reactive antibodies) are thought as optimal candidates for CS minimization. CS avoidance may also be undesirable in patients at risk for glomerulonephritis recurrence or with severe delayed graft function and prolonged cold ischemia time. Thus, CS minimization is not yet ready for implementation in the majority of transplant recipients.
authors.affiliation: Georgios Vlachopanos, Department of Nephrology, Rethymnon General Hospital, 74100 Rethymnon, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vlachopanos
authors.affiliation: Georgios Vlachopanos, Department of Nephrology, Rethymnon General Hospital, 74100 Rethymnon, Greece.
authors.forename: Julie M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bridson
authors.affiliation: Georgios Vlachopanos, Department of Nephrology, Rethymnon General Hospital, 74100 Rethymnon, Greece.
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Georgios Vlachopanos, Department of Nephrology, Rethymnon General Hospital, 74100 Rethymnon, Greece.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halawa
keywords: Acute rejection; Corticosteroid avoidance; Corticosteroid minimization; Corticosteroid withdrawal; Immunosuppression; Renal transplantation