Sirolimus Based Immunosuppression for Patients Undergoing Kidney Transplantation in the Eurotransplant Senior Program

The Eurotransplant Senior Program (ESP) started in 1999 with local allocation of kidneys from deceased donors elder than 65 years to recipients elder than 65 years. The requirements for immunosuppression in this group of patients are high due to the large amount of comorbidities. This prospective randomized trial compared the standard immunosuppressive protocol based on cyclosporine A (CyA) used at our center within the ESP, to a calcineurin inhibitor-free protocol based on sirolimus (SRL). The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a CNI-free therapy on the function of elderly kidneys 6 months post transplantation, measured by GFR.