[Rejection following corneal transplantation. Effect of HLA compatibility of the grafts].

One hundred and fifty-two consecutive corneal transplants were performed with recipients selected on the basis of the best HLA-A, B, and DR match, and observed for corneal transplant rejection episodes. Following a descriptive analysis of data, the transplants were subdivided into well matched transplants (109 cases) and poorly matched transplants (43 cases). The rejection rate of poorly matched transplants was 2.37 times higher than that of well matched transplants (p = 0.09). Analysis of survival curves, three years after transplantation, shows a 91% rejection-free survival of well matched transplants compared to 78% for poor matched transplants. These findings suggest that the risk of corneal transplant rejection may be reduced by optimal HLA-A, B, and DR matching.