Perioperative transfusion analysis and blood ordering schedule update for total knee arthroplasty / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the perioperative rate of allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and its risk factors, and to identify its cross-match to transfusion ratio (C∶T ratio). 【Methods】 Anesthetic data of patients who underwent TKA from January 2014 to October 2019 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Perioperative allogeneic RBC transfusion rate was calculated, and binary Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify its risk factors in these patients. The overall C∶T ratio was calculated and divided into subgroups based on surgery type and age group. 【Results】 The study enrolled 2 903 patients. The perioperative rate of allogeneic RBC transfusion in TKA patients was 10.9% (95% CI 9.8%~12.0%) and overall C∶T ratio was 5.6∶1. The independent risk factors leading to perioperative allogeneic RBC transfusion included advanced age(OR=1.025, 95% CI 1.009~1.042, P<0.01), preoperative hemoglobin level(OR=0.966, 95% CI 0.954~0.978, P<0.001), preoperative anemia(OR=3.543, 95% CI 2.052~6.119, P<0.001), hematological diseases(OR=6.462, 95% CI 2.479~16.841, P<0.001), bilateral surgery(OR=7.681, 95% CI 5.759~10.245, P<0.01) and revision surgery(OR=9.584, 95% CI 4.360~21.065, P<0.001). 【Conclusion】 The risk factors for perioperative allogeneic RBC transfusion in TKA patients included advanced age, preoperative low hemoglobin level, preoperative anemia, hematological diseases, bilateral surgery and revision surgery. Only type and screen tests are recommended if patients receiving unilateral primary TKA surgery are less than 75 years old without anemia and hematological diseases, while at least one to four units of blood should be cross-matched if patients are with preoperative anemia and hematological diseases or will receive bilateral and revision arthroplasty.

Retrasplante pulmonar con cross-match positivo en trasplante pulmonar primario complicado con rechazo mediado por anticuerpos / Lung Retransplantation with Positive Crossmatch in Primary Lung Transplantation Complicated by Antibody-Mediated Rejection

La hipertensión arterial pulmonar (HAP) representa el 2,6% de los trasplantes pulmonares (TP), con una mediana de supervivencia condi cional (desde los 30 días del TP) de 9,8 años. Son frecuentes, el rechazo celular agudo (ACR) y la disfunción crónica del injerto (CLAD), mientras que es infrecuente el rechazo mediado por anticuerpos (AMR). El retrasplante pulmonar (RTP) constituye el 4% del TP mundial, debido a complicaciones en la vía aérea, disfunción primaria del injerto, ACR y CLAD. Mujer de 22 años, portadora de HAP idiopática (HAPI) desde el año 2013, trasplantada bipulmonar (TBP) en enero de 2018. A los 16 meses presentó neumonía adquirida en la comuni dad. En una internación posterior, presentó ACR y a pesar de pulsos de metilprednisolona, progresó a requerimientos de cánula de alto flujo y ventilación mecánica no invasiva hospitalaria, caída del VEF1, y tomografía de tórax con vidrio esmerilado difuso y engrosamiento irregular reticular del intersticio subpleural; interpretándose como CLAD a predominio de síndrome de bronquiolitis obliterante (BOS), con presencia de anticuerpos específicos contra el donante (DSA). En enero de 2020 se realizó nuevo TP y ante cross-match positivo, se realizó plasmaféresis y reposición de IgG. Al mes del egreso, no se observaron signos de rechazo en control de biopsias transbronquiales. Entre 2 y 10% de los pacientes con indicación primaria de TP por HAPI son sometidos a retrasplante pulmonar (RTP). La presencia de DSA y el miss-match de HLA, no son contraindicaciones para el RTP.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) represents 2.6% of lung transplantations (LT), with a conditional median survival (from 30 days after LT) of 9.8 years. Acute cellular rejection (ACR) and chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) are common; whereas the antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is not. Lung retransplantation (LR) accounts for 4% of global LTs for complications in the airways, primary allograft dys function, ACR and CLAD. 22-year-old woman with idiopathic PAH (IPAH) since 2013, who underwent a double-lung transplantation (DLT) in January 2018. 16 months after transplantation she presented community-acquired pneumonia. During a subsequent hospitalization, she presented ACR. Despite the fact that she received pulse methylprednisolone, she required high-flow cannula therapy and hospital non-invasive mechanical ventilation; the FEV1 was reduced and she underwent a chest tomography with diffuse ground glass opacities and irregular reticular thickening of the subpleural interstitium; interpreting the predominance of BOS (bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome) as CLAD, with presence of donor-specific antibodies (DSA). In January 2020, she received a new DLT and due to a positive crossmatch, she was treated with plasmapheresis and IgG replacement. One month after hospital discharge, no signs of rejection were observed at the BTB (bone-patellar tendon-bone) control. Between 2 to 10% of patients with primary indication of LT for IPAH are subjected to lung retransplantation (LR). The presence of DSA and HLA (human leucocyte antigen) mismatch aren't contraindications to LR.

Blood transfusion efficacy in patients with major and minor cross-match incompatibility: analysis of 17 cases / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To compare the transfusion effects of ABO homotype leukocyte depleted suspended RBC and washed RBC in patients, who present major and minor cross-match incompatibility, DAT+, IAT+ and autoantibody+ . 【Methods】 The hemoglobin and total bilirubin of patients before and after transfusion were detected, and statistical analysis was conducted by IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0 software. 【Results】 34 transfusions were performed in 17 patients with major and minor cross-match incompatibility. Both leukocyte depleted suspended RBC and washed RBC significantly increased Hb level(P0.05), with similar transfusion efficacy(P>0.05). After t, Hb levels(g/L) increased by 11.35±8.07 and 13.94±9.017, and TBIL(μmol/L) decreased by 25.76±88.63 and 6.91±9.39, respectively, after the transfusion of leukocyte depleted suspended RBC and washed RBC per unit. 【Conclusion】 For blood recipients with major and minor cross-match incompatibility, both ABO homotype leukocyte depleted suspended RBC and washed RBC, given in time, were effective. However, washed RBC is secondary choice due to long preparation time and short storage time.

Elective versus emergency caesarean section: differences in maternal outcome

Background: Caesarean section is a life-saving surgical procedure when certain complications arise during pregnancy or labour. The use of CS worldwide has increased worldwide unprecedented levels although the gap between higher- and lower-resource settings remains. The present study evaluates the difference in maternal outcome in elective versus emergency caesarean sections in our institute.Methods: The study included first 65 cases of emergency caesarean section (group A) and during the study period, first 65 elective caesarean section (group B) if they fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Various intra operative and postoperative events were recorded which included intra operative complications, postpartum haemorrhage and transfusion indices.Results: The most common indication of caesarean section in group A was fetal distress (27.7%). In group B most caesarean sections were classified under 5 followed by class 6, the most common indication being previous caesarean section (27.6%). It was observed that pre-operative mean haemoglobin in group A was 10.6 g/dl and in group B was 11.2g/dl. A drop of 1.36 g/dl in group A and 1.10 g/dl in group B was observed in the post-op period. Cross match / transfusion ratio 1.5 in group A and  2 in group B, transfusion probability ratio was 60 % in group A and  66.7%  in group B and transfusion index was 1 in group A and  group B. There was significantly higher contraception acceptance in group B compared to group A.Conclusions: Elective caesarean section has more favourable maternal outcome as compared to emergency caesarean section as the former is done under controlled and planned circumstances.  However, there should be stringent audit to scrutinise indication of caesarean section, outcome of caesarean and blood transfusion practices.

The serological characteristic and transfusion strategy in patients who got positive both in autoantibody test and direct Coombs test / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To reduce the risk of blood transfusion ,and discuss the serological characteristic and cross‐match test of those patients who got positive both in autoantibody test and direct coombs test .Methods With absorption‐elution testing ,antibody screening cells and panel cells belong to different manufactures and batch numbers were applied to distinguish autoantibody from al‐loantibody within serum and reagent red cells for absorption test .Appropriate donors were selected to do cross matching test ;the specificity of autoantibody and alloantibody and the relationship between ABO blood type ,diseases ,anemic and the efficacy of blood transfusion were analysed .Results Among the 139 study subjects ,all of them were identified positive both in autoantibody and di‐rect antibody test ,including 20 cases just have autoantibody ,59 cases accompanied with Rh system or MNs system or Kidd system antibody ,47 with autoantibody except for alloantibody ,13 with drug resistant or other system antibody .Within the 221 cases of blood transfusion ,none of them has hemolytic transfusion reaction .We found a positive correlation(P0 .05) .Conclusion To those cases which were identified positive both in autoantibody and direct antibody test ,the degree of anaemia ,the numbers of transfusion and the efficacy of transfusion were associated with the intensity of agglutination of autoantibody and direct antibody .In order to de‐crease the risk of blood transfusion and make it highly efficient ,we should affirmed it if there is any autoantibody .In this process , an appropriate procedure and assay must be adopted .Besides ,relative antigen‐negative donors or high frequency local autoantibody need to be matched with corresponding the donors who have the same type of antigen .

Analysis of anti-E IgG combined with IgG + IgM anti-Mur for leading to the cross-match incompatibly / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To perform the serological identification of anti‐E and anti‐Mur found in the detection before blood trans‐fusion and to analyze its clinical significance in blood transfusion .Methods The reaction pattern of serum with the antibody screen‐ing spectrum was detected by using the micro‐column gel method for identifying the antibody type and specificity .Results The 3 kinds of antibody anti‐E IgG combined with anti‐Mur IgG + IgM existed in the serum of 2 patients .Conclusion Anti‐E and anti‐Mur all are easier to lead to the hemolytic blood transfusion reaction .Selecting the suitable donor on the basis of the accurate anti‐body identification can provide guarantee for blood transfusion safety .

Analysis of Recent Four Years' Cross-Matching Tests of One Commercial Laboratory

The cross-matching test, an essential pre-transfusion test, is usually performed using only a segment of a blood bag and a recipient's blood sample at a commercial laboratory. We analyzed cross-matching test results obtained at LabGenomics laboratory, client of which were mainly small- and medium-sized medical clinics. Data for a total of 12,902 cross-matching tests referred from January 2012 to December 2015 were analyzed for incompatibility in the results and trends based on the distribution of medical clinics. Medical clinics were categorized as nursing home, obstetrics and gynecology, plastic surgery, dental clinic, orthopedic surgery, and others. Incompatible results were observed for 35 cases (1.09%) in 2012, 22 cases (0.68%) in 2013, 31 cases (1.02%) in 2014, and 41 cases (1.20%) in 2015. Overall, 55.4% of referrals came from a nursing home, 6.4% from obstetrics and gynecology, 4.4% from plastic surgery, 20.0% from dental clinic, 5.9 % from orthopedic surgery, and 7.9% from others. Further studies are required to evaluate the efficacy of cross-matching test results and its relationship with transfusion requirements.

Research on treatment process of major compatibility and minor incompatibility in cross matching with microcolumn agglutination technique / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To solve the clinical blood transfusion problem of the major cross-match compatibility and the minor cross-match incompatibility by using the microcolumn agglutination technique in the cross matching of the patients with non-auto-immune hemolytic anemia(non-AIHA).Methods The process was set up to analyze the reasons of the minor cross-match incom-patibility by reviewing the sample information from the patient and the blood donor,re-detection of ABO and Rh blood group,direct anti-globulin test (DAT),comparison of the agglutination intensity between DAT and minor cross-match,and antibody screening tests,etc.,and the corresponding laboratory treatment was carried out.Results The problem of minor cross-matching incompatibil-ity in 3 014 cases of non-AIHA were treated by this process,the result showed that the main reason leading to minor cross-match incompatibility was the DAT positive(98.6%).Those patients were infused with the RBC suspension with minor cross-match in-compatibility,comparing the occurrence rate(0.52%)of blood transfusion adverse reaction and the blood transfusion effectiveness (87.4%)had no statistical differences compared with the occurrence rate(0.48%)of blood transfusion adverse reaction and the blood transfusion effectiveness(85.4%)in the transfused RBC suspension with major and minor cross-matching compatibility,the differences had no statistical significance(P >0.05);other causes leading to the minor-cross-matching incompatibility were the sam-ple or blood group errors(0.8%),irregular antibody from the donor(0.6%),in such situation,the blood could be exchanged and the blood cross-matching could be performed again,the RBC suspension with major and minor compatibility was transfused.Conclusion This process can quickly and safely solve the clinical blood transfusion problem of minor cross-match incompatibility in the non-AIHA patients and is suitable for the laboratory adopting the microcolumn agglutination technique for conducting the cross-matc-hing test.

Blood use in neurosurgical cases at the University Hospital of the West Indies / El uso de la sangre en los casos de neurocirugía en el Hospital Universitario de West Indies

OBJECTIVE: Many neurosurgical cases are done without the need for blood transfusion, yet blood is unnecessarily cross-matched, resulting in wasted resources. This study was undertaken to document and compare the number of units of blood components requested, cross-matched and transfused in neurosurgical cases at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). METHODS: A prospective, observational study was undertaken over one year. Data collected for each patient included demographic information, relevant perioperative data, and blood banking data including blood components requested, cross-matched and transfused. Data were analysed using SPSS version 16. RESULTS: Data were analysed on 152 patients, 71 females (46.7%) and 81 males (53.3%). The mean age was 48.7 ± 19.6 years and 100 of the procedures were done electively (65.8%). Blood components were ordered in 114 (75%) cases, red cells more commonly in 113 (74.3%) patients, and plasma in 19 (12.5%) patients. Overall, 20 patients (13.2%) were transfused. Most patients (90.9%) needed one to two units of blood. Of the 236 units of blood components that were cross-matched or prepared, only 62 were transfused. The cross-match/preparation to transfusion ratio (CTR/PTR) was 6.00 for red cells and 1.31 for plasma. Preoperative haemoglobin < 10.0 g/dL (p = 0.001), estimated blood loss of > 1 litre (p < 0.001), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status score (p < 0.03) and a resident as lead surgeon (p < 0.05), were significant predictors of blood transfusion. CONCLUSION: The transfusion rate was low with a high cross-match to transfusion ratio, suggesting that less cross-matching is needed. A new approach to blood ordering for neurosurgical cases is recommended.

OBJETIVO: Muchos casos neuroquirurgicos se realizan sin necesidad de transfusion de sangre. Sin embargo, la sangre es innecesariamente sometida a pruebas cruzadas, lo cual resulta en un malgasto de recursos. Este estudio fue emprendido con el proposito de documentar y comparar el numero de unidades de los componentes sanguineos requeridos, cotejados, y transfundidos en los casos de neurocirugia en el Hospital Universitario de West Indies (HUWI). MÉTODOS: Se realizo un estudio prospectivo observacional por espacio de mas de un ano. Los datos recopilados de cada paciente incluian informacion demografica, datos relevantes perioperatorios, y datos de bancos de sangre, incluyendo los componentes sanguineos solicitados, cotejados, y transfundidos. Los datos fueron analizados utilizando SPSS version 16. RESULTADOS: Los datos se analizaron en 152 pacientes: 71 mujeres (46.7%) y 81 varones (53.3%). La edad promedio fue de 48.7 ± 19.6 anos y 100 de los procedimientos se realizaron de manera electiva (65.8%). Se ordenaron componentes de la sangre en 114 casos (75%), siendo los globulos rojos los mas comunmente requeridos en 113 pacientes (74,3%) y el plasma en 19 pacientes (12.5%). En general, 20 pacientes (13.2%) fueron transfundidos. La mayoria de los pacientes (90.9%) necesito una o dos unidades de sangre. De las 236 unidades de componentes sanguineos que fueron preparados o sometidos a pruebas cruzadas, solo 62 fueron transfundidos. La proporcion de la preparacion/prueba cruzada en relacion con la transfusion (CTR/PTR por sus siglas en ingles) fue 6.00 para los globulos rojos y 1.31 para el plasma. La hemoglobina preoperatoria < 10.0 g/dL (p = 0.001), la perdida estimada de sangre de > 1 litro (p < 0.001), la mayor puntuacion del estado fisico (p < 0.03) segun los criterios de la Sociedad Americana de Anestesiologos (ASA), y un residente como principal cirujano (p < 0.05), fueron predictores significativos de la transfusion de sangre. CONCLUSIÓN: La tasa de transfusion fue baja, con una alta proporcion de la prueba cruzada frente a la transfusion, sugiriendo que se necesitan menos pruebas cruzadas. Se recomienda un nuevo enfoque a la hora de hacer pedidos de sangre para los casos neuroquirurgicos.

Complement-dependent lymphocytotoxicity crossmatch in deceased donor renal transplant: A single institutional experience.

Complement-dependent lymphocytotoxicity crossmatches (n=217) between 47 deceased donors and 150 potential renal recipients were retrospectively studied. A negative cross match was reported in 48 (22.1%), doubtful positive in 126 (58.1%), weakly positive in 32 (14.7%) and positive in 11 (5.1%). No autoantibodies were detected. Renal transplantation was performed in 35.5% of the potential recipients. There was no incidence of hyperacute rejection. The graft survival rate was 88% at 15 months of follow up. The study concludes that a negative pretransplant lympocytotoxicity crossmatch using the basic National Institute of Health technique eliminates hyperacute rejection, but carries drawbacks, which require modification and supplementation with more sensitive and specific assays.

The Risk Factors of Acute Cellular Rejection in Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation:Doubting the Value of Positive Lymphocytotoxic Cross-match Results / 대한이식학회지

BACKGROUND: The influence of lymphocytotoxic cross-match results on acute cellular rejection in adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has not been well examined. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the risk factors of acute rejection, including positive lymphocytotoxic cross-match results. METHODS: Patients inquired in this study are adults who underwent their first LDLT between June 1997 and June 2007 (n=382). We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of donors and recipients, including medical history, surgical procedures, and progress, then analyzed the risk factors of acute rejection using Cox's proportion hazard model. RESULTS: Among the total subjects of 382, 32 recipients had positive lymphocytotoxic cross-match results. Median follow-up duration was 28.0 months (range, 1~93). Fifty six recipients had suffered at least one or more acute rejection episodes. In univariate analysis, positive lymphocytotoxic cross-match results didn't turn out to be a significant risk factor of acute rejection (p=0.735), while recipient age (P=0.012), HCV-related (P=0.001), MELD score (P=0.042), gender mismatch (P=0.001) and no induction of anti-IL-2 receptor antibody (P=0.034) were revealed as risk factors for acute rejection. Recipient age (P=0.001, Hazard Ratio 0.937, 95% Confidence Interval 0.902~0.973), gender mismatch (P=0.001, Hazard Ratio 2.970, 95% Confidence Interval 1.524~5.788), HCV-related (P=0.001, Hazard Ratio 4.313, 95% Confidence Interval 1.786~10.417) were considered as significant risk factors in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Positive lymphocytotoxic cross-match results may not be the risk factor for acute rejection. Therefore, it should not be considered as a determinant when matching donors with recipients in adult LDLT.

The Result of Renal Allograft which Lymphocyte Crossmatch is Negatively Converted by Pretransplant Plasmapheresis and IV gamma-globulin / 대한이식학회지

Purpose: Many patients who have an acceptable living- kidney donor do not undergo transplantation because of the presence of antibodies against the donor cells resulting in a positive lymphocyte-crossmatch (LCX). Recently, the combination therapy of plasmapheresis, intravenous gamma- globulin and potent immunosuppression to induce negative conversion of LCX in patients who had positive LCX to their living donors was reported. Our institute gave these patients the combination therapy and reported the results of follow-up done 1~3 years after kidney transplantation. Methods: Eleven patients, who showed positive LCX to their living donors, underwent the conversion trials between January 1, 2002 and March 31, 2004. Combination therapy consisting of plasmapheresis, intravenous gamma globulin injection, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and steroids was used. Plasmapheresis had been done every other day up to 6 times. Kidney transplantations were performed immediately after negative conversion was achieved. Five to ten day-courses of ATG (or OKT3) were used as an induction immunosuppression and tacrolimus, MMF, and steroids as a maintenance immunosuppression. Results: Negative conversions in ten out of eleven patients were achieved. Kidney transplantations in these 10 patients were successfully performed. No hyperacute rejection transpired, although four patients developed acute rejection, whose grafts were all rescued with steroid pulse therapy. Serum creatinine level was 1.57+/-0.12 mg/dL (mean+/-SD) during follow-up periods except for one whose graft was lost to Polyoma virus nephropathy. Conclusion: Nine of the 10 grafts are functioning well for 15~41 months after transplantations. Our results suggest that selected crossmatch positive patients can be transplanted successfully with living donor kidney allograft.

HLA Cross-match Negative Conversion by Therapeutic Plasmapheresis in a Patient with Positive HLA Cross-match / 대한진단검사의학회지

It is well accepted that kidney transplantation cannot be done if the recipient has antibodies showing a positive HLA cross-match to the donor. Recently, Schweitzer and his associates used a combination therapy with plasmapheresis, IV gamma globulin, and potent immunosuppression to induce HLA cross-match negative conversion in patients with a positive HLA cross-match to living donors and they reported good results after the trials. Therefore, we treated a patient with combination therapy who had persistent-positive HLA cross-match to multiple living donors. The patient was a 38-year-old female suffering from chronic renal failure and she showed persistent positive HLA cross-match to multiple living donors. Using a combination therapy with plasmapheresis, IV gamma globulin and immunosuppression, we have successfully achieved a HLA cross-match negative conversion in a patient and we did kidney transplantation without any sign of hyperacute or acute rejection. Although we present possibility of a HLA cross-match negative conversion by combination therapy, especially in a recipient with a low titer cross-match positive to a family donor, further long-term study with more patients is needed for evaluation of the efficacy of this trial.

The Results of Renal Transplantation after Lymphocyte Cross-match Negative Conversion by Combination Therapy with Plasmapheresis, Intravenous Gamma Globulin and Potent Immunosuppresants in Patients with Positive LCM / 대한이식학회지

PURPOSE: It is well-known that kidney transplantation cannot be done if recipient has circulating antibodies showing positive lymphocyte cross-match (LCX) to organ donor. In the United States and European countries, the incidence of positive LCX to cadaveric donors in patients who are on the waiting list is up to 20~40%. Unfortunately, these patients also show high rate of positive LCX to live donors when they have donor candidates in their family members and have to be on dialysis until compatible donor comes up. Recently, Eugene J Schweitzer and his associates at the University of Maryland used the combination therapy with plasmapheresis, intravenous gamma globulin and potent immunosuppression to induce negative conversion of LCX in patients who were LCX positive to their living donors and reported the good results after the trial. We did the combination therapy in patients who had positive LCX to their living donors and reported the results. METHODS: Seven patients, four women and three men who showed positive LCX to their living donors, underwent the conversion trials between January 1 and July 31, 2002. The mean age of patients was 43.86 (35~60) and the duration of dialyses varies from 9 to 120 months. We used combination therapy with plasmapheresis, intravenous gamma globulin injection, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and steroids. Plasmapheresis had been done on every other day up to 6 times to induce negative conversion of LCX. If patient continue to show positive LCX to donor after 6 times of plasmapheresis, we stopped the therapy. The numbers of plasmapheresis varies from two to six times. Kidney transplantations were preformed immediately after negative conversion of LCX as a semi-elective procedures. Five to ten day courses of ATG (or OKT3) were used as an induction immunosuppression after transplantation and tacrolimus, MMF, and steroids were used as a maintenance immunosuppression. RESULTS: We could achieve negative conversion of LCX in six out of seven patients, and kidney transplantations were performed in these 6 patients successfully. There was no hyperacute rejection during the operations, but three patients developed acute rejection episodes during their early postoperative periods. Steroid pulse therapies were used as a primary therapy to treat acute rejection and all three patients showed complete recovery of their graft function after the treatments. Baseline serum creatinine level varies from 1.0 mg/dl to 1.9 mg/dl with 3 to 6 months follow-up periods after transplantations. We could not induce negative conversion in one patient and he remained on hemodialysis. CONCLUSION: We did successful kidney transplantations in six patients who achieved negative conversion of LCX to their donors after the combination therapy with plasmapheresis and potent immunosuppression. All patients showed excellent graft function since their operations and did not have any significant complications except three reversible acute rejection episodes. According to the results, although it is preliminary, we recommend the use of the combination therapy in patient who has LCX positive living donor. Further long-term study with more numbers of patients is needed for the evaluation of the efficacy of this trial.