Intravenous immunoglobulin and Thymoglobulin facilitate kidney transplantation in complement-dependent cytotoxicity B-cell and flow cytometry T- or B-cell crossmatch-positive patients

Background. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Thymoglobulin and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy on the clinical outcome of a putatively high-risk group of kidney transplant recipients who have positive B-cell complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) along with positive T- or B-cell flow cytometry (FC) crossmatch results. Methods. We prospectively studied the effects of IVIG and Thymoglobulin induction treatment in B-cell CDC, and T- or B-cell FC crossmatch-positive kidney transplant recipients (seven women and one man; mean age, 43+/-12 years). Results. Mean peak panel-reactive antibody (PRA) was 47+/-32. Three patients had donor-specific antibody by flow PRA (two anti-DR4 and one anti-A2). Each recipient received induction treatment with IVIG 100 mg/kg for 3 days and Thymoglobulin 1.5 mg/kg for 5 days after transplantation. No acute cellular rejections occurred during a median follow-up of 15 months (range, 12-17 months). Only one acute humoral rejection occurred 8 days after transplantation, which responded to plasmapheresis, IVIG, and rituximab. One allograft was lost because of polyoma nephritis. Patient survival was 100% and allograft survival was 88%. Conclusion: Our results indicate that IVIG and Thymoglobulin induction treatment may facilitate kidney transplantation in B-cell CDC and T- or B-cell FC crossmatch-positive patients.