Introduction: The additive benefit of interleukin-2 receptor antagonist (IL2-RA) induction in standard-risk kidney transplant recipients, while maintained on tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive therapy, is uncertain.
Methods: We divided the studies included in this meta-analysis into 2 groups: group A (included studies that used same dose of tacrolimus in both arms of each study) and group B (included studies that compared patients who received induction therapy and low-dose tacrolimus vs. those who received no-induction therapy and high dose of tacrolimus).
Results: In group A, 11 studies were included (n = 2,886). IL2-RA induction therapy was not associated with significant differences in comparison to no-induction therapy in terms of acute rejection rates at 6 months post-transplant (risk ratio = 1.12 and 95% confidence interval [CI] range: 0.94-1.35) or graft survival at 1 year post-transplant (risk ratio = 0.78 and 95% CI range: 0.45-1.36). In group B, 2 studies were included (n = 669). There was no difference between both arms in terms of acute rejection rates (risk ratio = 0.62, with 95% CI range: 0.33-1.14) or graft survival (risk ratio = 1 and 95% CI range: 0.57-1.74).
Conclusion: IL2-RA induction therapy does not improve outcomes in patients maintained on tacrolimus-based immunotherapy in standard-risk population.
Keywords: Interleukin-2 receptor antagonist; Kidney transplant recipient; Mycophenolate mofetil; Panel-reactive antibody.
© 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.