Sj. Harper et al., THE BENEFICIAL-EFFECTS OF ORAL NIFEDIPINE ON CYCLOSPORINE-TREATED RENAL-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS - A RANDOMIZED PROSPECTIVE-STUDY, Transplant international, 9(2), 1996, pp. 115-125
The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that nifedipine will
improve graft survival in cyclosporin A (CyA)-treated renal transplant
recipients. One hundred and forty-seven patients were randomised to o
ne of three regimens. Group A received CyA, 7 mg/kg per day, and predn
isolone; group B followed the same regimen as group A plus oral nifedi
pine and group C received CyA, 4 mg/kg per day, prednisolone and azath
ioprine. Calcium channel blockers were avoided in groups A and C. The
crude 2-year (P = 0.0223) and 4-year (P = 0.0181) graft survival was s
ignificantly better in group B (86 % and 81 %, respectively) than in g
roup A (75 % and 63 %, respectively). Delayed initial function was see
n least frequently in group B (10.2 %) compared to groups A (31 %) and
C (28 %; P < 0.01). Group B also experienced fewer rejection episodes
than groups A and C (P < 0.05). We conclude that the combination of o
ral nifedipine and CyA significantly improves initial graft function,
rejection frequency and long term graft survival.