Cyclosporin treatment with conversion after three months versus conventional immunosuppression in renal allograft recipients.

In a prospective randomised trial, 72 recipients of cadaver renal allografts received cyclosporin for 3 months followed by azathioprine and prednisone (cyclosporin group), and 71 received azathioprine and prednisone from the day of transplantation (conventional group). Graft survival was better in the cyclosporin group at 3 months and 1 year (93% and 80%) than in the conventional group (83% and 70%). This was not a significant difference. The incidence of acute rejection episodes in the first 3 months was significantly lower in the cyclosporin group (35% versus 77%, p less than 0.00001), as was the number of grafts lost because of immunological failure (1 versus 10, p less than 0.02). After conversion, renal function improved. Only 5 patients had acute rejection after conversion. These episodes were easily reversible in all cases and did not lead to graft loss. The numbers of grafts lost after conversion were similar in the two groups. Conversion of cyclosporin to azathioprine 3 months after renal transplantation is a safe procedure that obviates the long-term toxic effects of cyclosporin.