Tacrolimus-Basiliximab versus Cyclosporine-Basiliximab in renal transplantation "de novo": acute rejection and complications.

Background: Optimal immunosuppression is essential to maintain kidney allograft viability but minimizing toxicity is also fundamental.

Objective: This article compares immunosuppressants, corticosteroids, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, and basiliximab, which are used in the treatment regimens for renal transplantation. The analyses evaluated their effectiveness to prevent acute rejection episodes and to reduce the appearance of other complications, mainly infectious disease complications.

Methods: Ninety-five patients were analysed during the first year after primary renal transplantation. These patients were included in a random way in 3 different groups according to the immunosuppressant drug therapy: Group I (35 patients) received corticosteroids + CsA; Group II (35 patients) received corticosteroids + CsA + Basiliximab; Group III (25 patients) received corticosteroids + Tacrolimus + Basiliximab.

Results: Among the 95 patients, 9 presented with an acute rejection episode in Group I. None in Group II, and one in group III. With reference to the infectious disease complications, the incidence of oral herpes was one case in Group I, 4 cases in Group II, and 2 cases in group III.

Conclusions: Treatment with Basiliximab produced a significantly lower incidence of acute rejection cases and an increase in infectious disease complications, such as lip herpes.