[Use of delayed cyclosporin A in after administration of anti-lymphocyte serum in kidney transplantation]

Abstract

In this randomized one-center study in kidney transplantation delayed administration of CyA following conventional treatment with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) (group CyA, 48 patients) is compared with conventional treatment (including ATG) as sole immuno-suppressive treatment (group STD, 27 patients). Graft survival was significantly better with CyA (84% vs. 63% at 3 years). CyA efficacy seemed related with the decrease of rejection severity rather than of its frequency. Delayed introduction of the drug reduced its nephrotoxicity and short and longterm transplant function of patients under CyA were similar to controls. Finally from the 1st year post-grafting corticosteroids were withdrawn in more than 80% of recipients receiving CyA.