Study shows how thymoglobulin reduces rejection risk in kidney transplant

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Treatment with thymoglobulin has a clear advantage for patients after kidney transplant because it helps reduce the risk of organ rejection.
Antibody induction therapy is a way of reducing organ rejection after a transplant. It helps to prepare the immune system for the introduction of a new organ. The two most common antibodies used are thymoglobulin and basiliximab. In a new trial carried out by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine the two antibodies are compared for their ability to reduce rejection of a new kidney.

The study involved 278 patients at high risk of rejection following a kidney transplant from a deceased donor. The study showed that the risk of acute rejection was 1.5 times higher among patients treated with basiliximab compared to those treated with thymoglobulin. The patients also received the standard immunosuppressive therapy. Overall, the trial looked at acute rejection, delayed graft function, graft loss and death. At 12 months, the incidence of this composite endpoint was similar for the two groups.

Source
New England Journal of Medicine 9th November 2006

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