Cyclosporine in the treatment of steroid resistant rejection episodes in living donor kidney transplants.

Cyclosporine had been used to treat steroid resistant rejection episodes in 24 living related donor kidney transplants. The rejection episodes as well as their response to cyclosporine were documented by graft biopsies and/or fine needle aspiration cytology. Ten similar patients suffering from steroid resistant rejection episodes were not given cyclosporine. These cases were evaluated and their outcome was compared to those who received cyclosporine therapy. In the 24 cases who received cyclosporine, there was complete reversal of the rejection episodes in 11, partial reversal in 6, arrest of the rejection crisis in 4 and failure in 3. In all the 10 cases without cyclosporine therapy the grafts were found to be lost. It was concluded that cyclosporine can cure established rejection episodes even when severe and steroid resistant.