Use and Outcomes of Induction Therapy in Well-Matched Kidney Transplant Recipients

Background and objectives The optimal induction treatment in low–immune risk kidney transplant recipients is uncertain. We therefore investigated the use and outcomes of induction immunosuppression in a low-risk cohort of patients who were well matched with their donor at HLA-A, -B, -DR, -DQB1 on the basis of serologic typing.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements Our study was an observational study of first adult kidney-only transplant recipients in the United States recorded by the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network.

Results Among 2976 recipients, 57% were treated with T cell–depleting antibodies, 28% were treated with an IL-2 receptor antagonist, and 15% were treated without induction. There was no difference in allograft survival, death-censored graft survival, or death with function between patients treated with an IL-2 receptor antagonist and no induction therapy. In multivariable models, patients treated with T cell–depleting therapy had a similar risk of graft loss from any cause, including death (hazard ratio, 1.19; 95% confidence interval, 0.98 to 1.45), compared with patients treated with an IL-2 receptor antagonist or no induction. The findings were consistent in subgroup analyses of Black recipients, patients grouped by calculated panel reactive antibody, and donor source. The incidence of acute rejection at 1 year was low (≤5%) and did not vary between treatment groups.

Conclusions Use of induction therapy with T cell–depleting therapy or IL-2 receptor antagonists in first kidney transplant recipients who are well matched with their donor at the HLA-A, -B, -DR, -DQB1 gene loci is not associated with improved post-transplant outcomes.