One year outcome of renal transplant patients receiving induction therapy with thymoglobulin versus basiliximab.

A retrospective observational review of first time renal transplant patients who received induction therapy with either thymoglobulin or basiliximab was undertaken to determine the rates of acute rejection (AR), delayed graft function (DGF), infections requiring hospitalization, and patient and graft survival at 1 year post-transplant. Twenty-nine patients received thymoglobulin (1-1.5 mg/kg) and 30 patients basiliximab (2 doses of 20 mg on day 0 and day 4). All recipients were maintained on standard immunosuppression consisting of mycophenolate mofetil, cyclosporine and prednisone. The rate of AR in the first 4 months was higher in the basiliximab group. Three of 12 patients in this group had Banff 2 rejection (treated with steroids and OKT3). The remainder of the patients in either group with early AR had Banff 1 rejection. No statistically significant difference was noted in the HLA matching and CIT in patients with early AR. Patient and graft survival as well as allograft function were similar in both groups 1 year post-transplant.

Henry Kiser, Mohammed Alassas, Kenneth Abreo, Gazi B. Zibari, and Fahim Zaman. Departments of Medicine and Surgery, Louisiana State University HSC, Shreveport, LA.