Effects of induction therapy with alemtuzumab versus antithymocyte globulin among highly sensitized kidney transplant candidates

الملخص EN

We retrospectively compared induction therapy utilizing alemtuzumab and antithymoglobulin (ATG) in high-risk kidney transplant recipients in our center.

Two hundred and fifty-one patients underwent kidney transplantation between 2009 and 2012.

The high-risk patients were defined as those who had two or more times kidney transplantation and/or more than 30% panel reactive antibody.

We studied 130 high-risk kidney transplant candidate; 58 (44.6%) patients received induction immunosuppressive therapy with alemtuzumab, and 72 (55.4%) with ATG.

Delayed graft function developed in 11 patients receiving alemtuzumab, against the 27 patients who receiving ATG (P = 0.021).

Acute cellular rejection episodes were observed in five patients in the alemtuzumab group and 19 patients in the ATG group (P = 0.009).

There were three graft failures in the alemtuzumab group and eight graft failures in the ATG group due to rejection episodes.

We found immunosuppressive induction therapy with alemtuzumab a significantly less incidence of acute rejection and delayed graft function than induction therapy with ATG in the high-risk kidney transplant recipients.