Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

Administration of ATG according to the absolute lymphocyte-T count during therapy for steroid-resistant rejection

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Brian Shenton, Professor Thomas Lennard, George Proud, Robert Taylor

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.


Abstract

In renal transplantation, treatment of steroid-resistant rejection (SRR) with antithymocyte globulin (ATG) has been widely reported but over-immunosuppression remains a common problem. In the first ten patients (group 1) treated for SRR with rabbit ATG, three developed serious viral infections and two deaths occurred due to CMV pneumonitis. ATG was only omitted if thrombocytopenia or neutropenia occurred. In the next 17 patients (group 2) with SRR, ATG was administered according to the absolute T lymphocyte count. T lymphocytes were measured by flow cytometric analysis of CD3-labelled lymphocytes. ATG dosage was adjusted on a daily basis to keep the absolute T lymphocyte count under 50 cells/mul. Administration of ATG according to the absolute T lymphocyte count resulted in a significant reduction in the mean dose of ATG given to the group 2 patients (P < 0.001). A significant decrease in the incidence of serious viral infections (P = 0.04) was achieved without reducing the ability of ATG to reverse the SRR (P = 0.29) or increasing the number of grafts lost at 1 year in the group 2 patients (P = 0.23).


Publication metadata

Author(s): Clark KR, Forsythe JLR, Shenton BK, Lennard TWJ, Proud G, Taylor RMR

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Transplant International

Year: 1993

Volume: 6

Issue: 1

Pages: 18-21

Print publication date: 01/01/1993

ISSN (print): 0934-0874

ISSN (electronic): 1432-2277

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1432-2277.1993.tb00738.x

DOI: 10.1111/j.1432-2277.1993.tb00738.x


Altmetrics

Altmetrics provided by Altmetric


Share