Steroid avoidance in renal transplant patients maintained on a cyclosporine-based protocol.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of steroid avoidance, as compared with our pre-existing protocol that contained steroids, on renal allograft and patient survival. Secondary outcomes included body weight, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective chart review of the results of steroid avoidance was performed in 169 patients who had undergone renal transplant between January 2000 and March 2002 and had received an immunosuppression regimen of cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone; and 148 patients who had undergone transplant between November 2002 and November 2004 who had received induction immunosuppression with a steroid taper by postoperative day 4 and were maintained on cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil. RESULTS: One-year allograft survival rates, rejection-free graft survival rates, and patient survival rates were 88%, 76%, and 97%, respectively, in the steroid-maintenance group compared with 90%, 74%, and 96%, respectively, in the steroid-avoidance group (P = NS). No differences were detected in multiple secondary variables related to the metabolic effects of steroid therapy. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that steroid avoidance can be performed safely and effectively in patients on a cyclosporine-based protocol of immunosuppression. Longer follow-ups are suggested to determine the effects of limited steroid exposure on the metabolic profiles of patients.

Superiority of pediatric en bloc renal allografts over living donor kidneys: a long-term functional study.

BACKGROUND: Growing waiting list for kidney transplantation in the United States makes it imperative to expand donor pool to use of pediatric kidneys. Because en bloc pediatric kidneys double nephron numbers, it would be interesting to learn how they fare compared to living donor kidneys long term. METHODS: Retrospective chart review was performed on all 72 pediatric en bloc and 75 live adult donor kidney recipients transplanted between January 1990 and December 2001. Long term graft function was assessed with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using the abbreviated modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) formula. RESULTS: Pediatric donor was 16.9 +/- 11.2 months old and weighed 10.7 +/- 3.8 kg. Nine en bloc kidneys thrombosed at a mean of 4.2 days posttransplantation. Proteinuria was detected later posttransplantation in en bloc group (45.6 +/- 33.6 months vs. 23.4 +/- 16.3 months, P = 0.002). Pediatric en bloc recipients had significantly higher GFR up to 8 years posttransplantation. One-year graft survival was significantly better in live donor group (93.3% vs. 81.9%, P = 0.041) but five-year graft survival rates were similar (86.7% vs. 76.3%, P = 0.125). One-year and five-year patient survival rates were similar between en bloc and live donor groups (97.3% vs. 98.6%, P = 0.585 and 94.6% vs. 93.0%, P = 0.688, respectively). CONCLUSION: Early postoperative graft thrombosis remain a challenge with pediatric en bloc renal transplants, but once the allografts survive early postoperative course, they provide better long-term function than living donor kidney transplants. In order to alleviate burden on waiting list, pediatric en bloc kidneys should be transplanted more often when available.

Long-term results of cyclosporine-steroid therapy in 131 non-matched cadaveric renal transplants.

One-hundred-and-twenty-eight recipients of 131 consecutive, non-matched cadaver renal allografts were treated with cyclosporine and steroids. They have been followed for 4 to 6 yr. Cumulative patient survival at 1-yr was 92.2% and at 6yr it is 77.8%. Cumulative graft survival at 1-yr was 79.4% and at 6 yr it is 50.0%. After the high-risk 1st yr, the rate of graft loss was even and similar to that reported after the 1st yr for grafts treated with azathioprine and steroids. This indicates that cyclosporine nephrotoxicity has not had an obvious adverse effect on the survival of chronically functioning grafts. The results were better with primary grafting versus retransplantation, but were not significantly influenced by age, diabetes mellitus, or a delayed switch in patients from cyclosporine to azathioprine. We have concluded that cyclosporine-steroid therapy is safe and effective for long-term use after cadaveric renal transplantation.

Antibody-mediated rejection following renal transplantation.

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) accounts for 20-30% of all acute rejection episodes following renal transplantation. AMR is generally less responsive to conventional anti-rejection therapy, resulting in poor allograft survival. Introduction of C4d immunostaining of renal allograft biopsies and the demonstration of donor-specific antibodies in the recipients have increased our ability to diagnose AMR. Therapeutic options are evolving and include plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin, immunoadsorption and rituximab, together with intensification of immunosuppression with a tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil combination. Future studies might further define optimal therapeutic approach in renal transplant recipients presenting with AMR.