Immunosuppressive drugs and major complications in pediatric renal transplantation

Abstract

Pediatric renal transplantation is the treatment of choice in children with chronic kidney disease. Many agents are available for immunosuppressive therapy, which are used in two different regimes: first for the induction phase, and then for maintenance. There are two strategies for reducing the risk of renal graft rejection: the first is the use of high doses of conventional immunosuppressive agents, and the second is the use in the induction phase of monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against antigens of T cells. The two most frequently used polyclonal antibodies are horse and rabbit anti-thymocyte globulins, ATGAM and rATG, respectively. The most frequently used monoclonal antibodies are those against IL-2 receptor (basiliximab and daclizumab) and the one against antigen CD52 (alemtuzumab). Maintenance therapy is a scheme that combines the use of three conventional immunosuppressive drugs: glucocorticoids, calcineurin inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors and antiproliferatives. The following are among the major complications of renal transplantation: acute graft rejection, viral infection (cytomegalovirus and BK polyomavirus) and appearance of PTLD (posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder).

Keywords

• Immunosuppressive Agents; Pediatric
• Rejection; Renal Transplantation