American journal of surgery
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Comparative Study
Beneficial effects of cyclosporine compared with azathioprine in cadaveric renal transplantation.
Recent reports have intimated that the use of antilymphocyte globulin in combination with azathioprine and steroids has ameliorated the beneficial affects of cyclosporine. We believe that even in the absence of significant statistical differences between patient survival rates and graft survival rates of cyclosporine-treated renal transplant patients compared with conventionally treated renal transplant patients, there are distinct advantages to cyclosporine use in renal transplantation. ⋯ Fewer statistically significant rejection episodes, multiple rejection episodes, and cytomegalovirus infections were demonstrated in those who received cyclosporine. Most notably, cyclosporine decreased the initial hospital stay, was associated with fewer readmissions, and therefore markedly reduced the initial cost of transplantation.