Aim: Evaluation of cyclosporine (CSA) withdrawal safety and efficacy in children late after kidney transplantation.
Material and methods: Graft and patient survival was analysed in 30 kidney recipients operated in the central children's hospital in 1991-1999. Fifteen of 30 patients came for follow-up to the Russian Research Center for Surgery where CsA was withdrawn 6.8 +/- 2.7 after transplantation. The other 15 children continued immunosuppression with CsA.
Results: Higher graft survival was observed in children in whom CsA was discontinued.
Conclusion: Discontinuation of cyclosporine late after kidney transplantation results in improvement of graft survival in most of the patients.