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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
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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).
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
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