Cytokines Evaluation in Early Calcineurin Inhibitors Withdrawn on Renal Transplant

Currently, acute kidney injury is diagnosed by increased serum creatinine. However, creatinine is not a reliable marker for acute changes in renal function. The biology of the renal graft is influenced by chemokines from reperfusion (just after the kidney transplant) and throughout its course, when acute and chronic inflammatory changes occurs. Moreover, the evaluation of changes in urinary cytokines reflects kidney interstitial patterns, and can predict renal function, acute rejection episodes and their response to treatment. Today there are several studies comparing the relative immunosuppression of renal function, but few noticed its relationship with cytokines and chemokines. Thus, we proposed studying the inflammatory consequences of early calcineurin inhibitors (ICN) withdrawing in transplant patients by urine analysis. Kidney biopsy was done before ICN withdrawn and replaced by everolimus (3 months after transplant), and 1 year after transplant.