Cadaveric kidney transplantation under prophylactic polyclonal antibody immunosuppression with anti-lymphoblast globulin versus anti-thymocyte globulin.

OBJECTIVES

This retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate and compare the clinical and immunologic outcomes following prophylactic induction treatment with Minnesota anti-lymphoblast globulin (MALG) and Upjohn anti-thymocyte globulin (ATGAM) in cadaver renal transplantation.

METHODS

From 1990 to 1994, 63 patients with renal transplants from cadavers received MALG and 77 patients received ATGAM for induction treatment. Most pretransplant parameters were equivalent in both groups. There was no significant difference in the total dose and mean duration of MALG/ATGAM administration. The post-transplant outcome in these groups was compared.

RESULTS

There was no difference between the MALG and ATGAM groups with respect to the overall number of rejection episodes, median days to rejection, or the number of steroid-resistant rejection episodes. However, MALG-treated patients experienced a greater number of rejections in the first 60 days postoperatively (P = 0.06). There was no difference in the nadir serum creatinine level in the first 20 postoperative days in the two groups; however, it took fewer days to reach the nadir in the ATGAM group (P = 0.03). The incidence of delayed graft function was higher in the MALG group than in the ATGAM group (38% versus 31%) but not statistically significant. Graft survival at 12 and 24 months was comparable in both groups. However, patient survival was superior at 12 and 24 months in ATGAM-treated transplant recipients (P = 0.03). The mean serum creatinine at 6, 12, and 24 months was similar in both the MALG and ATGAM groups. The mean fall and recovery of CD3, CD4, and CD8 T-lymphocyte subsets while on MALG/ATGAM were similar in both groups. The incidence of infectious complications was greater in the MALG group.

CONCLUSIONS

MALG and ATGAM have comparable clinical immunosuppressive effects. Patients receiving ATGAM experienced fewer rejections in the first 2 months, fewer infections, and better survival.