Donor pretreatment in cadaver renal transplantation.

Excellent cadaver allograft survival has been achieved with kidneys from cadaver donors pretreated with high intravenously given dosages of cyclophosphamide and intravenous injections of methylprednisolone. To test the efficacy of this method of pretreating the donor, allograft survival in 21 patients, group A, receiving kidneys from cadaver donors pretreated with 4 grams of cyclophosphamide and 4 to 6 grams of methylprednisolone given intravenously was compared with two other groups of cadaver allograft recipients, 39 patients, 23 group B patients receiving untreated kidneys harvested at the Mayo Clinic and 16 group C patients receiving untreated kidneys harvested elsewhere. Two year actuarial allograft survivors were 16 of 21 in group A, 13 of 23 in group B and seven of 16 in group C. We believe that cadaver donor pretreatment improves allograft survival significantly.