Evaluation of Low- Versus High-dose Valganciclovir for Prevention of Cytomegalovirus Disease in High-risk Renal Transplant Recipients.

Background: Despite proven efficacy of prolonged cytomegalovirus (CMV) prophylaxis using valganciclovir 900 mg/day, some centers use 450 mg/day due to reported success and cost savings. This multicenter, retrospective study compared the efficacy and safety of 6 months of low-dose versus high-dose valganciclovir prophylaxis in high-risk, donor-positive/recipient-negative, renal transplant recipients (RTR).

Methods: Two hundred thirty-seven high-risk RTR (low-dose group = valganciclovir 450 mg/day [n = 130]; high-dose group = valganciclovir 900 mg/day [n = s7]) were evaluated for 1-year CMV disease prevalence.

Renal transplantation in the setting of early steroid withdrawal: a comparison of rabbit antithymocyte globulin induction dosing in two eras.

Background: Modern immunosuppression and rabbit antithymocyte globulin (rATG) have facilitated the success of early steroid withdrawal (ESW) protocols. Little data exist on optimal rATG dosing in ESW protocols.

Methods: Rejection at 12 months in era 1 (four doses of rATG, 1.