Improved survival-rates in presensitised recipients of kidney transplants by immunosuppression with maternal-source gamma-globulin

Lancet. 1978 Feb 4;1(8058):233-5. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(78)90481-6.

Abstract

The effect on cadaver-kidney transplant survival-rates of a gamma-globulin concentrate, prepared from clotted blood centrifugally expressed from placental tissue recovered from postpartum women, was evaluated in a prospective controlled trial in 195 patients who were also given a standard immunosuppressive regimen. Allograft-survival rates were analysed according to whether or not the recipient had lymphocytotoxic antibodies before transplantation (responders) and whether the graft was a first or second transplant. The graft-survival rate was improved in responder-type recipients of first transplants who had received the gamma-globulin concentrate as adjunctive therapy (control group 28.8+/-10.1% vs. gamma-globulin 55.5 + 9.7% at 2 years, p less than 0.05). The survival-rate of grafts in non-responders was not affected by administration of gamma-globulin and data on its use in recipients of a second graft were insufficient for analysis. These results suggest that the gamma-globulin concentrate was suppressing immunological responses associated with humoral-type rejection.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Azathioprine / therapeutic use
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Graft Survival*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / administration & dosage
  • Immunoglobulin G / therapeutic use*
  • Injections, Intramuscular
  • Kidney Transplantation*
  • Male
  • Placenta / blood supply
  • Postoperative Care
  • Postpartum Period
  • Prednisone / therapeutic use
  • Pregnancy
  • Preoperative Care
  • Prospective Studies
  • Time Factors
  • Transplantation, Homologous

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Azathioprine
  • Prednisone