[Cyclosporin A in preventive therapy after kidney transplantation: a double combination versus a triple combination. I. Therapeutic effectiveness].

Two groups of patient after a first renal transplantation from a dead donor were treated by a double combination of cyclosporin A and prednisone (group A) and triple combination cyclosporin A and azathioprin and prednisone (group B). The groups were similar as regards effectiveness of treatment (evaluated with regard to the survival of recipients and grafts and the number of rejection episodes); they did not differ as to the losses of grafts for other than immunity reasons, which predominated in both groups over losses caused by rejection. Discontinuation of prednisone after four months in group A was complicated by rejection in 54%. Discontinuation of cyclosporin A after one year's treatment and a change to azothioprin and prednisone treatment was in both groups complicated by rejection in cca one fifth of the patients.