Two-year experience with rapamycin in kidney transplantation / 中华器官移植杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the effects and safety of rapamycin (Rap) in combination with cyclosporine A (CsA) and steroid (Pred) as triple regimen for prevention of acute rejection after renal transplantation.Methods Fifty patients with de novo cadaveric kidney allograft were randomized into two groups. In the study group there were 30 patients treated with Rap, CsA, and Pred, while in the control group there were 20 patients with conventional triple therapy of azathioprine (Aza), CsA, and Pred. Same dosages of CsA and Pred were used in both groups. Any adverse event after treatment was observed and recorded in detail. The laboratory investigations were checked and analyzed periodically.Results The pre-protocol population included 26 patients in study group and 18 patients in control group. The 2-year patient and graft survival rates in both groups were 100 %. The incidence of acute rejection was 3.7 % (1/27) in study group, 25 % (5/20) in control group, respectively. All episodes of acute rejection were reversed by methylprednisolone. The trough levels of CsA kept same in both groups, but CsA dose in study group was lower than that in control group. Blood concentrations of total cholesterol and triglyceride in study group were higher than those in control group. Conclusion Rap is an effective and safe immunosuppressive drug for prevention of acute rejection after renal transplantation. Rap combined with CsA allows reducing the dose of CsA. But its main side effect is hyperlipidemia.