Low-dose and rapid steroid withdrawal in renal transplant patients treated with tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil.

CORTICOSTEROIDS HAVE PROVED to be very effective for the immunosuppressive treatment of organ transplant patients, but unfortunately they are responsible for many undesirable side effects, such as cataracts, delayed growth in children, skin fragility, bone diseases, and other manifestations considered to be cardiovascular risk factors, such as glucose intolerance, arterial hypertension, and dyslipemias. The reduction in the incidence of acute rejection in patients treated with mycophenolate mofetil in combination with anticalcineurin agents (cyclosporine or tacrolimus) has led to the design of studies to reduce or suppress corticosteroid treatment. We analyzed the 2-year course of cadaveric kidney transplant patients treated with a triple therapy of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and corticosteroids in whom steroid therapy was withdrawn after the 3rd posttransplant month.