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OKT3 serum levels as a guide for prophylactic therapy: a pilot study in kidney transplant recipients

  • Original Article
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Transplant International

Abstract

The use of OKT3 as prophylaxis in renal transplantation results in a reduced incidence of graft rejection and appears to have beneficial effects on long-term kidney graft survival. However, we and others have observed that patients still experience rejection during the period of OKT3 prophylaxis given at the regular 5 mg/day dose. Many of these patients had no circulating CD3+ cells at the time of rejection, but their OKT3 serum levels were distinctly low (<500 ng/ml). This led us to adjust OKT3 doses (5 or 10 mg) daily, according to the patients' OKT3 levels, in order to maintain an OKT3 concentration of around 1000 ng/ml. In addition, patients were randomized to receive either 5 mg (group 1, n=15) or 10 mg (group 2, n=14) OKT3 as the initial three doses. Concomitant immunosuppression consisted of azathioprine and steroids, with the introduction of cyclosporin A on day 11. Patient survival was 100% after 3 months of follow-up. The intensity of OKT3 first-dose reactions was similar in both groups. Intragraft thrombosis, initially observed in a previous group of patients who received a fixed 10 mg/day OKT3 prophylaxis, occurred in three patients in group 1 and resulted in two graft losses. The cumulative OKT3 dose was similar in both groups (mean ± SEM 98±2 mg in group 1 vs 102±3 mg in group 2) and higher than the 70 mg usually administered. Group 2 patients had higher OKT3 serum levels during the first 4 days of therapy. No correlation could be found between patient weight and cumulative OKT3 dose (r=0.29). No patient in either group 1 or 2 experienced rejection during OKT3 therapy. This compared favorably with an historical group of kidney recipients treated with a fixed 5 mg/day OKT3 dose, as 6 out of 32 patients in this group developed rejection (P=0.045). The rejection rate up to 3 months post-transplantation in pooled group 1 and 2 patients was low (six episodes per 81 patientmonths of risk exposure). We conclude that adaptation of the OKT3 dose according to daily OKT3 levels is safe and allows for excellent prevention of early graft rejection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, Hopital Erasme, 808 Route de Lennik, B-1070, Brussels, Belgium

    Daniel Abramowicz, Olivier Mat, Jean-Louis Vanherweghem, Luc De Pauw, Paul Kinnaert & Pierre Vereerstraeten

  2. Department of Immunology, Hospital Erasme, 808 Route de Lennik, B-1070, Brussels, Belgium

    Michel Goldman & Alain Crusiaux

  3. Cilag Benelux, Belgium

    Gerrie Estermans

Authors
  1. Daniel Abramowicz
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  2. Michel Goldman
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  3. Olivier Mat
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  4. Gerrie Estermans
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  5. Alain Crusiaux
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  6. Jean-Louis Vanherweghem
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  7. Luc De Pauw
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  8. Paul Kinnaert
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  9. Pierre Vereerstraeten
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Abramowicz, D., Goldman, M., Mat, O. et al. OKT3 serum levels as a guide for prophylactic therapy: a pilot study in kidney transplant recipients. Transplant Int 7, 258–263 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00327153

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00327153

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