The use of antilymphocyte globulin in renal allograft rejection. A controlled study.

A controlled clinical investigation of the effect of equine anti-human-lymphocyte globulin (ALG) on established rejection after transplantation was carried out. In comparison with a control group, the treated group showed a significantly positive effect of ALG in the form of a faster reversal of rejection episodes (P less than 0-05). Leucocytes, lymphocytes, erythrocytes, thrombocytes and immunoglobulins were unaffected by the treatment, but there were signs of a complement consuming process and an influence on blast transformation tests. No rise in antibody titre against equine globulin was seen.