To evaluate the effect that CsA has had on the weight of some factors previously considered influential on kidney graft survival rates in conventionally immunosuppressed recipients, we analyzed patient and graft survival rates for 524 consecutive living-donor first kidney transplants. All patients were transplanted at the Catholic Medical Center between 1984 and 1991 and treated with CsA. The data were stratified to reflect differences in a) HLA matching; b) acute graft rejection within 3 months posttransplant; c) donor sources; d) age; e) sex; f) graft number; g) diabetics; h) HBV status; i) DST; and j) number of pretransplant transfusions. Overall actuarial 5-year patient and graft survival rates were 86% and 77%. The actuarial 5-year graft survival rates for the HLA-identical, haploidentical, and mismatched groups were 93%, 75% and 80% (p = 0.3858), respectively. The actuarial 5-year graft survival rates in recipients with acute graft rejection (< 3 months) and without acute graft rejection were 55% and 80% (p = 0.0001). The actuarial 5-year graft survival rates for the HBV-positive and -negative groups were 55% and 80% (p = 0.0048). The actuarial 5-year graft survival rates according to the number of pretransplant blood transfusions--0, 1-4, and over 5 units groups--were 65%, 80%, and 81% (p = 0.0026), respectively. We conclude that a) acute graft rejection within 3 months, b) HBV-positive, and c) pretransplant nontransfusion had a significant negative influence on long-term graft survival, whereas little or no effect was attributable to HLA matching, donor source, age, sex, graft number, diabetes, and DST.