Improved patient and graft survival using cyclosporin A in cadaver renal transplantation

In two consecutive prospective randomised trials cyclosporin A has been compared with conventional immunosuppressive therapy (azathioprine and steroids) and with cyclosporin combined with steroids. The present report is a 4 year review and includes 165 patients.Cyclosporin A alone had a significant advantage over conventional therapy at both 1 and 3 years (p = 0.02) for both patient and graft survival. No significant difference was seen when cyclosporin was combined with steroids. Nephrotoxicity was the most troublesome side-effect of cyclosporin A - but this resolved spontaneously on withdrawal of the drug.