Diagnosis and treatment of acute cardiac allograft rejection.

Integration of data derived from immunologic monitoring techniques and endomyocardial biopsy currently permits more precise administration of immunosuppressive medications for the treatment of acute cardiac allograft rejection than was formerly possible, resulting in a substantially improved outlook for long-term survival. Indeed, the probability of survival for 5 years postoperatively of 50% exceeds that for several categories of cardiac patients currently undergoing other more common forms of heart surgery. The continuing demonstration of the potential for cardiac transplantation clearly warrants further application of this procedure for the treatment of appropriate patients with end-stage cardiac disease.