Early steroid withdrawal in a renal transplant cohort treated with tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and basiliximab [Retiro temprano de esteroides en una cohorte de trasplante renal tratada con tacrolimus, mofetil micofenolato y basiliximab]

Background: Acute rejection and graft function have not been completely clarified in early-steroid-withdrawal (ESW) patients. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of early steroid withdrawal on GFR, graft survival/rejection in recipients in a cohort treated with tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil compared to a control cohort. Material and method: Retrospective cohort, in 60 low immunological risk recipients between December 2005 and July 2010. Study cohort (ESW-C N=32), steroid withdrawal was carried out after 5 days, while they were receiving tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil. The control cohort (C-C, N=28) received prednisone/tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil. Clinical, biochemical and histological variables were assessed at baseline and after 3, 6, and 12 months of followup. Kaplan-Meier and the Cox proportional hazards model were used to assess survival. Comparisons between cohorts were carried out by the Student's t and χ2 tests. Results: At follow-up, C-C displayed significantly higher systolic (125±10 vs. 114±8) and diastolic (81±8 vs. 72±7) blood pressure, serum glucose (96±13 vs. 86±10), triglycerides (177±61 vs. 129±34), total (183±43 vs. 148±34) and LDL-cholesterol (100±22 vs. 87±25). C-C had a higher proportion of antihypertensive (57 vs. 13%), and statins (27 vs. 9%) use. eGFR was better in ESW-C than in C-C (85.4±20.6 vs. 70.6±17.0, P=.004). AR frequency was lower in ESW-C. Conclusions: Graft survival, GFR, AR rate and metabolic profile were better in the ESW-C than in C-C. © 2014 Revista Nefrología. órgano Oficial de la Sociedad Española de Nefrología