Abstract
In 57 patients with renal allografts the prolonged administration of prednisolone >/= 1 mg/kg/day and azathioprine >/= 3 mg/kg/day caused a significant and persistent fall in serum IgG at all levels of creatinine clearance. The fall in IgG was more striking when creatinine clearance was below 25 ml/min. At lower doses of azathioprine and prednisolone serum IgG fell when the creatinine clearance was less than 35 ml/min, the degree of recovery towards normal being dependent on creatinine clearance and dosage. Post-transplant haemodialysis decreased the depression of IgG, and patients with immediately functioning grafts had minimal IgG depression. An inverse relation between IgG and IgM was observed in some patients. Severe infections and toxicity were associated with the greatest reduction in IgG; leucopenia and thrombocytopenia were not consistently reliable guides to toxicity. The deaths of four patients (7%) were associated with severe infections. Falls in IgG were not related to the rejection process. IgG measurement should be used as a guide to immunosuppression and toxicity in renal allograft patients.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
