Graft and survival outcome in renal transplant patients receiving cyclosporine and azathioprine versus tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil: A single-center retrospective observational study

Abstract

There is paucity of data on long-term outcome of renal transplantation across different immunosuppression groups. Rationale and Objective: The study looks at long-term outcomes in renal transplant patients receiving azathioprine, cyclosporine combination (Group 1) with mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus (Group 2) with terms of patients and graft survival. We also analyzed the spectrum of infections across the two groups. Study Design: A retrospective observational study was conducted from 1995 to 2014 at St. John's Medical College and Hospital, Bengaluru. Patients received treatment as per standard protocol. Setting and Participants: Renal transplant recipients who regularly visited outpatient department. Analytical Approach: Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS 19 software. Continuous variables were analyzed using Student's t-test. Pearson's correlation test used for correlating variables. Kaplan–Mere curve used for calculating survival. Primary Outcomes: Rejection rates were similar across both the groups. The patient survival was 65% and 70% in Group 1 and 2 at 5 years, respectively. Graft survival was 65% and 75% in Group 1 and 2 at 5 years. Secondary Outcome: Bacterial and fungal infections were more common in Group 1, whereas viral infections were more in Group 2. In addition, infections tend to occur early in Group 2. Limitations: Single center, retrospective study. Conclusion: Patient and graft survival were similar across both the groups.