Renal transplantation at the University of Wisconsin in the cyclosporine era.

1. Immunological graft loss in the cyclosporine (CsA) era has been decreasing over the past decade with current 94% immunological graft survival at one year. 2. The rates of both immunological graft loss and graft loss from all causes gradually decrease after the first year for primary transplants. This implies that rejection gradually becomes less likely between one and 10 years follow-up. 3. On CsA immunosuppression, better DR matching results in significantly less immunological graft loss and a slower rate of late graft loss. 4. Roughly equal proportions of cadaveric renal transplants are lost due to acute rejection, chronic rejection, and death with a functioning graft (25-30% each). 5. Improving immunological graft outcome correlates with a lower incidence of a first rejection episode. Although OKT3 increases the success of rejection treatment, having a rejection episode nevertheless increases one's risk of immunological graft loss. 6. Cardiovascular deaths are by far the leading cause of mortality (42%) in this series. Improved strategies of prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease are needed in this patient group. 7. Long-term CsA immunosuppression usually is not associated with graft loss due to CsA toxicity. Late graft loss from acute and chronic rejection is far more common, implying the need for continued immunosuppression even in patients with long-surviving grafts. 8. There is no measurable benefit of 3 or more random blood transfusions prior to cadaveric renal transplantation in the CsA era.