REVIEWS   

Minerva Urologica e Nefrologica 2005 September;57(3):141-9

Copyright © 2005 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Immunosuppresive treatment options in renal transplantation

Ciancio G., Burke G. W., Jorge D., Rosen A., Miller J.

Department of Surgery Division of Transplantation University of Miami School of Medicine Miami, FL, USA

An overview of the first 4 decades of clinical kidney transplantation would characterize progress primarily in the development of new immunosuppressive agents designed to reduce the incidence and severity of acute rejection to improve short-term outcomes, but with less marked effects on long-term patient and graft survival. The new trend of immunosuppressive therapy is to facilitate long-term allograft and patient survival, and to help to maintain a good quality of life after renal transplantation. To achieve these goals, transplant physicians need to determine the immunosuppressive protocols that will best minimize risk factors associated with reduced allograft/patient survival and quality of life. Recent protocols and clinical experience with modern immunosuppression strategies, as well as the efficacy and safety of various combination protocols, will be reviewed.