[Immunosuppressive strategies and chronic graft dysfunction in kidney transplantation]

Nephrol Ther. 2008 Oct:4 Suppl 3:S208-13. doi: 10.1016/S1769-7255(08)74237-8.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Chronic graft dysfunction is a major cause of return to dialysis. In the majority of cases, it is correlated with histological signs of cellular and/or humoral rejection, the nephrotoxicity of anticalcineurins, or nonspecific lesions of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy. Although the incidence of acute rejection has considerably decreased, renal toxicity of the calcineurin inhibitors remains problematic. In cases of established nephrotoxicity, the use of non-nephrotoxic immunosuppressors such as mycophenolic acid or the proliferation signal inhibitors makes it possible to reduce or even stop the anticalcineurins. In prevention of anticalcineurin nephrotoxicity, many attempts to minimize or wean patients from them have shown that improvement in renal function is only obtained at the cost of an increase in the incidence of acute rejection. This makes it necessary to select patients who may benefit from anticalcineurin-sparing treatment, based on clinical, histological, and biological markers. Finally, long-term follow-up is also fundamental in order to validate the positive impact on renal function of this strategy in terms of graft survival.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Calcineurin Inhibitors*
  • Cyclosporine / administration & dosage
  • Cyclosporine / adverse effects
  • Cyclosporine / therapeutic use
  • Fibrosis
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Graft Rejection / complications
  • Graft Rejection / prevention & control
  • Graft Survival
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects*
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / classification
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Kidney Transplantation* / immunology
  • Kidney Tubular Necrosis, Acute / chemically induced
  • Kidney Tubular Necrosis, Acute / therapy
  • Mycophenolic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Mycophenolic Acid / therapeutic use
  • Patient Selection
  • Primary Graft Dysfunction / chemically induced*
  • Primary Graft Dysfunction / etiology
  • Primary Graft Dysfunction / prevention & control
  • Primary Graft Dysfunction / therapy
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Risk

Substances

  • Calcineurin Inhibitors
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Cyclosporine
  • Mycophenolic Acid