Pediatric renal transplantation at the University of Minnesota: the cyclosporine years.

Overall mortality was low (3.5%) in 199 children who received 217 transplants and quadruple immunosuppression. Graft survival was better in patients on quadruple immunosuppression, compared with historical patients on standard immunosuppression. When censored for deaths with a functioning graft, cumulative graft survival beyond one year was significantly better in patients on quadruple immunosuppression. Acute rejection was more common in CAD recipients and in retransplant recipients. Acute rejection was also more common in patients with FSGS, compared with other causes of ESRD. Preemptive transplants were not associated with a higher incidence of acute rejection. Late acute rejection episodes tended to be associated with a CsA dose < 5 mg/kg/day at one-year posttransplant. Chronic rejection was the major cause of graft loss. Risk factors for graft loss within the first posttransplant year were acute tubular necrosis and an initial CsA dose of < 5 mg/kg/day. Risk factors for graft loss after the first posttransplant year were late onset of the first acute rejection episode and a panel reactivity of > 25% at the time of transplant.