PRETRANSPLANT BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS HAVE AN ADDITIVE POSITIVE EFFECT ON KIDNEY GRAFT PROGNOSIS IN D/DR-MATCHED RHESUS MONKEYS

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Abstract
The effect of blood transfusions on kidney graft survival in D/DR-matched host-donor combinations was investigated in rhesus monkeys treated with azathioprine and prednisolone. If host-donor combinations were mismatched for D/DR and no tranfusions were given (controls), graft survival ranged from 9-22 days. D/DR matching alone led to survival times of 13-66 days with 62% of the animals showing a prolonged survival time (> 22 days). When 3 pretransplant blood tranfusions were given in D/DR-matched combinations, the range of graft survival was even better (19-73 days with 90% of the recipients surviving for longer than 22 days). The recipients in this group also had a better kidney function in the first weeks after transplantation than that of the nontransfused D/DR-matched group. The beneficial effects of D/DR matching and pretransplant transfusions are additive in the rhesus monkey.