Clinical study of application of sirolimus with dose-reduced or discontinued cyclosporine A for prevention of acute rejection after kidney transplantation

Abstract

To study the clinical efficacy, safety and feasibility of sirolimus (SRL) for preventing acute rejection of kidney transplantation. Thirty patients with end-stage kidney dysfunction received kidney transplants from June 2004 to December 2004. There were 21 male and 9 female aged from 22 to 67 years old, with a mean of (46.3 +/- 10.0) years old. SRL was used in primary immunosuppression therapy to prevent acute rejection after surgery, and all of them were treated in combination with dose-reduced cyclosporine A (CsA) and steroid. CsA reduction began 3 months after the surgery, the weekly dose of CsA about 10 to 25 percent reduction until completely discontinued. During a 4-year follow-up period, the adverse events, acute rejection and infection were observed and recorded in detail. The graft function and other laboratory indicators were checked and analyzed. Of the 30 patients, 4 recipients died, patients survival rate was 86.7%. In other 26 cases, 25 recipients had good graft function, the average blood creatinine was (103.8 +/- 4.6) micromol/L at the end of 4(th) year and the incidence of acute rejection was 6.7% (2/30). The side effects included hyperlipidemia, proteinuria, delayed healing incision, lactate dehydrogenase increased and joint pain. The combination of sirolimus with dose-reduced CsA till completely discontinued and steroid to prevent acute rejection of kidney transplantation is safe and efficient.