Improved survival of heart transplants. Graft and/or donor pretreatment with antilymphoblast globulin, cyclophosphamide, or methylprednisolone.

Survival of heart allografts flushed with antilymphoblast globulin (ALG) was significantly prolonged when the grafts were transplanted into minimally immunosuppressed recipients. When no immunosuppression was given, there was no prolongation of survival of ALG-flushed grafts. Donor pretreatment with cyclophosphamide, methylprednisolone, or ALG had no influence in the prolongation of survival of cardiac allografts. We do not have a clear explanation for the prolonged survival of ALG-flushed grafts transplanted into minimally immunosuppressed recipients.