Long-term graft outcomes after steroid withdrawal in African American kidney transplant recipients receiving sirolimus and tacrolimus.

Background: We previously reported excellent short-term outcomes in African American kidney transplant patients receiving tacrolimus/sirolimus and withdrawn from corticosteroid therapy three months after transplantation. We now report the long-term outcomes of patients subjected to this protocol.

Methods: In all, 47 African American kidney transplant recipients were enrolled in an uncontrolled trial in which they were initially treated with sirolimus, tacrolimus, and corticosteroids, without antibody induction therapy.

Improved renal function after conversion from tacrolimus/sirolimus to tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: There is limited data on the potential nephrotoxicity of sirolimus (SRL) and tacrolimus (TAC) in combination.

Methods: We reviewed the course of 97 kidney transplant patients treated with SRL and reduced-dose TAC. Conversion from SRL to mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) was prescribed in a minority (n = 19) for various nonrenal side effects.

Comparative effects of sirolimus and mycophenolate mofetil on erythropoiesis in kidney transplant patients.

Anemia and erythrocytosis (PTE) are common after kidney transplantation. We sought to determine the influence of sirolimus compared to mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) on post-transplant erythropoiesis. A total of 214 patients with recent kidney or kidney-pancreas transplants were treated with either sirolimus-based (n = 87) or MMF-based (n = 127) therapy.

Withdrawal of steroid therapy in African American kidney transplant recipients receiving sirolimus and tacrolimus.

Background: Withdrawal of corticosteroids from the immunosuppressive regimens of kidney transplant recipients has been associated with an increased risk of acute and chronic allograft rejection. Previous studies indicate that the risk of rejection is particularly high in African Americans.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 44 African American kidney transplant recipients to participate in an uncontrolled trial in which they were initially treated with sirolimus, tacrolimus, and corticosteroids.

Outcomes of African American kidney transplant recipients treated with sirolimus, tacrolimus, and corticosteroids.

Background: African American kidney transplant recipients generally exhibit poor long-term graft survival compared with other ethnic groups. The combination of sirolimus, tacrolimus, and corticosteroids has proven to be effective in reducing rejection episodes in high-risk organ and islet cell transplant recipients but has not yet been tested in a large number of African American patients.

Methods: The outcomes of 56 African American adult, primary kidney transplant recipients treated with corticosteroids, sirolimus, and tacrolimus targeted to relatively low trough blood levels were compared with those of a concurrent group of 65 white patients treated with steroids, mycophenolate mofetil, and tacrolimus targeted to relatively high blood levels.