Single-center analysis of 468 first cadaveric kidney allografts with a uniform ATG-CsA sequential therapy

Progress in clinical management and sophistication of immunological treatment of kidney allografts depend upon continuous reassessment of the risk factors related to pre- and post-graft information according to the therapeutical strategies used. We studied predictive factors of long-term graft survival (up to 9 years) and of kidney graft function at one year after surgery in a single-center population of 468 first cadaveric kidney recipients treated with a uniform immunosuppression induction regimen of anti-thymocyte globulin, followed by cyclosporine A. The statistical analysis showed that long-term graft survival was highly correlated with the occurrence of one or more acute cellular rejections and with the timing of these episodes. In addition, this uniformly treated series of patients confirmed the potential importance of gender matching. The magnitude of anti-HLA immunization and delayed graft function were also strongly linked to low graft survival rates. We found no significant influence of HLA matching, with serological HLA typing, on graft loss. The quality of graft function at one year was found to be a strong prognostic factor of long-term graft survival. In addition, the impact of pre- and post-graft parameters were studied in terms of prediction of one-year graft function. A stepwise multivariate analysis showed that graft function at one year was a multivariate phenomenon strongly correlated with a history of acute rejection episodes and with donor and recipient age. However, these 3 factors could account for only 15% of the graft function deterioration, the remaining 85% might be explained in part by chronic cyclosporine toxicity and/or chronic rejection.