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ABSTRACT: Adverse effects of steroids have led to efforts to minimize their use in recipients of organ transplants. This study evaluated an early steroid withdrawal protocol including basiliximab, cyclosporine (CsA) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in renal-transplant recipients.
Between January 2001 and April 2005, our early steroid withdrawal protocol was used in 130 patients who underwent renal transplantation. Immunosuppression consisted of CsA (6-8 mg/kg), MMF (2 g/kg) and methylprednisolone (MP); basiliximab was given as induction therapy (steroid withdrawal group). MP was administered in a dose of 500 mg or 250 mg at renal transplantation; thereafter, the dose was rapidly tapered and MP was withdrawn on day 14 post-transplant.
The incidence of acute rejection in the steroid withdrawal group was similar to that in the conventional steroid treatment group (without basiliximab) (18% vs. 21%). The severity of rejection episodes was similar in the two groups. Patient and graft survivals were 100% and 97% in the steroid withdrawal group. In 80 of the 130 patients (62%) in the steroid withdrawal group, MP was successfully withdrawn, with good allograft function during follow-up. In the other 50 patients (38%), MP was reinitiated because of acute rejection or other reasons. The success rate of steroid withdrawal 12 months after transplantation in recipients of ABO-compatible grafts was significantly higher than that in recipients of ABO-incompatible grafts (66% vs. 44%). The dose of MMF during the 12 months after renal transplantation was significantly lower in steroid reinitiated group than in the successful withdrawn group (p<0.05). Patients in the successful withdrawn group showed metabolic benefits such as lower cholesterol levels as compared with the steroid reinitiated group.
Although further follow-up is necessary to confirm our results, our protocol successfully permitted the early withdrawal of steroids in 62% of renal-transplant recipients, with no resumption of steroid treatment during 3 years of follow-up.
International Immunopharmacology 12/2006; 6(13-14):1984-92. · 2.38 Impact Factor
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Nippon Jinzo Gakkai shi 02/2005; 47(5):497-507.
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ABSTRACT: Administration of corticosteroids to kidney recipients has hampered the complete clinical success of kidney transplantation. Because most organ transplantation in Japan is living-related, we had the experience of performing kidney transplantation (KT) after liver transplantation (LT) from the same donor in four patients and successfully withdrew corticosteroid administration.
Three pediatric and one adult patient received kidney allografts from 3 to 10 months after LT from the same donor. The immunosuppressive regimen consisted of a corticosteroid and tacrolimus. The steroid was withdrawn after KT in all four patients. After complete withdrawal of the steroid, DNA was extracted from two recipients and examined by polymerase chain reaction to detect microchimerism. A mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and cell-mediated lymphocytotoxicity assay (CML) were performed to test for donor-specific hyporesponsiveness.
Steroid withdrawal was successfully accomplished after KT in every patient. No steroid-withdrawal-associated complications were observed. In the three pediatric patients, remarkable catch-up growth was observed after steroid withdrawal. In the two patients tested, donor DNA was not detected by polymerase chain reaction, suggesting the absence of microchimerism. MLR and CML showed that recipient lymphocytes reacted against donor lymphocytes at the same level as against the third-party lymphocytes.
Steroid withdrawal was successfully achieved in four kidney recipients who had received a liver allograft from the same donor. The MLR and CML findings indicated the absence of donor-specific hyporesponsiveness in vitro. Although the precise mechanism is not yet clear, KT after LT from the same donor should be considered as a method that allows steroids to be withdrawn from the immunosuppressive regimen of KT.
Transplantation 04/2002; 73(6):948-52. · 4.00 Impact Factor
