Acute rejection relapses posttransplant: definition of risk group and evaluation of potent therapeutic regimens

Abstract
A group of 113 patients were investigated after allogenic cadaver renal transplantation to analyse whether the small number of patients presenting acute rejection relapses could be defined by risk factors and whether there is an efficacious regimen for the safe therapy of recurrent rejection episodes. According to these results we are aware of a group of "highly reactive rejectors" especially within the younger recipients and there are further characteristics which can be identified as being associated with an elevated risk of recurrent acute rejection. By adequate antirejection therapy we can achieve a favourable transplant survival rate of 97% in the critical first year. An additional benefit may result from ALG consolidation related to suppression of the remaining CD8-positive human natural killer cells.
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