Ten-year follow-up of basiliximab induction therapy for live-donor kidney transplant: a prospective randomized...

The effect of basiliximab induction therapy on long-term patient and graft survival is not clear. We sought to evaluate if there is any advantage to routine basiliximab induction on the long-term outcome of living-related donor kidney transplants.

One hundred adult recipients with their first kidney allograft were randomized into 2 treatment groups; 1 group received basiliximab, and the second served as a control. All patients received a maintenance triple immunosuppressive therapy (steroids, cyclosporine, microemulsion, and azathioprine). We followed them for 10 years.

Basiliximab reduced the proportion of patients who experienced an acute rejection in the first year (18/50) when compared with the control group (31/50) (P = .009), and in 10 years (28/50) when compared with controls (37/50) (P = .059). The cumulative steroid dosage used throughout the study was significantly lower in the basiliximab group. The overall incidence of posttransplant complications was comparable among the 2 groups. There was no significant difference in patient and graft survival; 10-year patient and graft survival were 92% and 76% for basiliximab and 90% and 68% for the control group.

Routine basiliximab induction significantly reduces the incidence of acute rejection without any noticeable effects on the long-term renal transplant outcome.