The aim of this study is to compare the effects of 2 calcineurin inhibitors on graft survival and function and their metabolic profile following kidney transplantation.
We reviewed 2 groups of kidney transplant patients receiving NEORAL (Group I, 69 patients) or FK506 (Group II, 54 patients) as maintenance Immunosupression done between December 1998 and June 2003. The recipient and donor demographics and induction therapy were comparable in both groups except for more highly sensitized patients in group II (13 patients). Acute rejection (AR) rate, timing and severity were similar in both groups despite the more highly sensitized patients in Group II. Infections rate and type were similar in both groups (26.1% in Group I and 34% in Group II; P=N.S). No statistically significant differences were noticed between the 2 groups concerning the FBS, the need for insulin therapy, the cholesterol and triglycerides blood levels and the need for anti-hypertensive drugs at 6 months at 1 year post transplantation despite lower pre transplant mean cholesterol blood level in group I patients. The patient’s hospital stay was similar in both groups. The mean serum creatinine levels upon discharge, at 1, 3 and 6 months and 1 year were: 1.42 +/- 0.14, 1.45 +/- 0.1, 1.46 +/- 0.09, 1.42 +/- 0.37 and 1.29 +/- 0.08 in Group I and 1.68 +/- 0.3, 1.39 +/- 0.11, 1.32 +/- 0.14, 1.1 +/- 0.07 and 1.19+/- 0.09 in Group II respectively. We found that lower serum creatinine levels were observed in group II at 6 months (P = 0.001). The 1 year actuarial patient and graft survival were 98.3% in group I and 94.5% in group II (P = N.S.). Both calcineurin inhibitors are effective and safe in KT concerning the AR and infection rates. No metabolic differences were noticed in our studies on short term. The same study will be continued to evaluate the long term effects of both drugs.