USA Immunosuppression Therapy

For 1996-2002 US cadaver primary pancreas transplants, there were four main protocols of initial maintenance immunosuppression comprised of Azathioprin (AZA), Cyclosporine (CsA), Mycophenalate Mofetil (MMF) and Tacrolimus (Tac) (Figure 14). Rapamune (RAP) was used in >400 recipients, >200 combined with Tac. RAP was not included in the agent-comparison because there were too few for analysis. But it is anticipated RAP will be able to be included in future analyses. In the 1996-2002 period, Tac+MMF has been the dominant combination with GSRs ranging from 78% to 86%, being highest in SPKs. There was greater variation in the antibody induction therapy, by both antibody frequency and antibody type (Figure 15): T-cell depleting polyclonal (e.g. ATGAM, Thymoglobulin) or monoclonal (eg.OKT3) antibodies; T-cell non-depleting antibodies (anti-CD-25-directed Zenapax, Simulect). Some recipients received more than one antibody.

Figure 14

Figure 15