[Immunosuppression for living donor renal allograft recipients]

Living donor kidney transplantation allows immunosuppression individualization based on clinical and immunological criteria. Living donor kidney transplantation allows administration of immunosuppressive drugs days before transplantation, for a better acute rejection prevention. A 3-day course of tacrolimus and a micophenolic acid derivative is recommended. In recipients HLA-identical related to the donor, a tacrolimus-micophenolic acid régimen is recommended. Tacrolimus withdrawal after 6 months may be advisable. In all non-HLA-identical recipients, basiliximab induction is recommended, with the exception of high immunological risk patients, in whom thymoglobulin is a better option. The use of a kidney from an expanded criteria donor might imply a reduction in tacrolimus exposure since the very beginning, to optimize kidney graft function. In general, and depending on immunological risk, steroid withdrawal after the first 3 to 6 months is recommended. ABO-incompatible living donor kidney transplantation is feasible after specific immunoadsorption, gammaglobulins, a dose of rituximab and conventional immunosupression.