FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |   Search Term  Advanced Search

Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe

Previous Volume 310:148-154 January 19, 1984 Number 3 Next

	Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited PubMed Citation

Abstract

Using a retrospective analysis we compared 79 recipients of cadaveric renal allografts who were treated with cyclosporine as the sole initial immunosuppressant and 29 concurrent transplant recipients treated with conventional immunosuppressants. The cyclosporine-treated group had a slightly higher actuarial patient survival at four years (86 per cent v. 76 per cent). Actuarial graft survival at four years was 70 per cent in the cyclosporine group, as compared with 62 per cent in the conventionally immunosuppressed group. The incidence of acute rejection episodes was 62.1 per cent in the former and 65.5 per cent in the latter. Nephrotoxicity was managed either by reduction of the dose of cyclosporine or by conversion to conventional immunosuppression. Monitoring of trough serum levels of cyclosporine facilitated its administration. Serum creatinine levels have been higher in cyclosporine-treated patients with functioning grafts, but graft deterioration has not occurred after more than three years. Cyclosporine provides adequate immunosuppression for patients with renal allografts. At four years, the rates of patient and graft survival remain superior to those with conventional immunosuppression. In 41 per cent of patients the use of steroids was completely avoided. The longer-term results of this powerful immunosuppressive agent are not yet known.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Gee, I, Alexander, G (2005). Liver transplantation for hepatitis C virus related liver disease. Postgrad. Med. J. 81: 765-771 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Hariharan, S., Johnson, C. P., Bresnahan, B. A., Taranto, S. E., McIntosh, M. J., Stablein, D. (2000). Improved Graft Survival after Renal Transplantation in the United States, 1988 to 1996. NEJM 342: 605-612 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Shihab-Eldeen, A., Owunwanne, A., Junaid, T., Yacoub, T. (1996). Experimental studies on multiorgan toxicity of cyclosporine-A in rats using a radiopharmaceutical and comparison with histopathological findings. Hum Exp Toxicol 15: 867-871 [Abstract]  
• Burke, J. F., Pirsch, J. D., Ramos, E. L., Salomon, D. R., Stablein, D. M., Van Buren, D. H., West, J. C. (1994). Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Cyclosporine in Renal-Transplant Recipients. NEJM 331: 358-363 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Handschumacher, R., Harding, M., Rice, J, Drugge, R., Speicher, D. (1984). Cyclophilin: a specific cytosolic binding protein for cyclosporin A. Science 226: 544-547 [Abstract]