IMMUNOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS IN DIABETIC KIDNEY GRAFT RECIPIENTS PRETREATED WITH TOTAL-LYMPHOID IRRADIATION

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Abstract
In a feasibility study, twenty patients with end-stage diabetic nephropathy were treated with fractionated total-lymphoid irradiation (TLI, mean dose 25 Gy), before transplantation of a first cadaveric kidney. During radiotherapy, only one patient had a serious side effect (bone marrow depression). After transplantation four patients died (one of a myocardial infarction, one of ketoacidosis, and two of infections occurring during treatment of rejection crises). One graft was lost because of chronic rejection. The other 15 patients have a functioning graft (mean follow-up 24 months) and receive low-dose prednisone alone (4+ (T helper/inducer) over OKT8+ (T suppressor/cytotoxic) lymphocyte ratio was provoked by a decrease of the OTK4+ subpopulation, together with a supranormal recovery of the OKT8+ lymphocytes. A majority of the latter lymphocytes did also express the Leu 7 and the Leu 15 phenotype.

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