-transparent.png){kind=logo}
Prednisone withdrawal was attempted in 121 of 915 renal transplants recipients between 1967 to 1992. There were 57 males, 64 females. Age range was 21 to 62 (mean 39.2 years). Etiology of renal failure was chronic glomerulonephritis (54), diabetic nephropathy (36), interstitial disease (17), hypertensive nephrosclerosis (6), and other (8). Kidney source was from HLA-identical living-related donors (LRD) in 54 (Group I), one haplotype-matched LRD in 23 (Group II), and cadaver in 44 (Group III). Prior to the introduction of cyclosporin A (CsA) in 1984, prednisone withdrawal was attempted only in Group I. After 1984, prednisone withdrawal was also attempted in patients in Groups II and III, selected on the basis of having had no rejection episodes during the six months after transplantation. Forty-five patients in Group I were treated with azathioprine (Aza) and prednisone, and the remaining patients in Groups I to III were treated with Aza, prednisone and CsA. Mean follow-up was 93 months (6 to 207). Prednisone was gradually tapered and withdrawn in 94 of 121 patients after a mean period of 22.5 months (9 to 60). In 27 other patients, the prednisone dosage has been tapered to 5 mg/day or less with the aim of discontinuing the drug. There were seven episodes of acute rejection (3 during taper, and 1 each at 6, 7, 24 and 114 months after prednisone withdrawal); all seven were successfully reversed. Four other patients developed chronic vascular rejection (2 during taper and 2 after withdrawal).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
S Hariharan, and
T J Schroeder, and
P Weiskittel, and
J W Alexander, and
M R First
March 1999,
Journal of transplant coordination : official publication of the North American Transplant Coordinators Organization (NATCO),
S Hariharan, and
T J Schroeder, and
P Weiskittel, and
J W Alexander, and
M R First
April 1992,
South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde,
S Hariharan, and
T J Schroeder, and
P Weiskittel, and
J W Alexander, and
M R First
October 1992,
Transplantation proceedings,
S Hariharan, and
T J Schroeder, and
P Weiskittel, and
J W Alexander, and
M R First
April 1978,
Surgery, gynecology & obstetrics,
S Hariharan, and
T J Schroeder, and
P Weiskittel, and
J W Alexander, and
M R First
January 1999,
Transplantation proceedings,
S Hariharan, and
T J Schroeder, and
P Weiskittel, and
J W Alexander, and
M R First
March 1981,
Transplantation proceedings,
S Hariharan, and
T J Schroeder, and
P Weiskittel, and
J W Alexander, and
M R First
February 1989,
Transplantation proceedings,
S Hariharan, and
T J Schroeder, and
P Weiskittel, and
J W Alexander, and
M R First
May 2003,
Transplantation proceedings,
S Hariharan, and
T J Schroeder, and
P Weiskittel, and
J W Alexander, and
M R First
February 1990,
Transplantation proceedings,
S Hariharan, and
T J Schroeder, and
P Weiskittel, and
J W Alexander, and
M R First
January 1999,
Transplantation proceedings,
