Induction Therapy

Abstract

Transplantation is a suitable option for patients with end-stage organ failure. Many immunosuppressive agents are available, and this may pose difficulty in choosing an appropriate combination for maintenance therapy, treating episodes of acute rejection of varying severities, and tailoring therapies for specific patients.

Induction therapy strategies are accomplished either by relatively high doses of conventional immunosuppressants or by using poly- or monoclonal antibodies. These antibodies are an integral part of transplant medicine today. The rationale for antibody therapy aims at augmenting immunosuppression, ensuring that delayed introduction of calcineurin inhibitors is safe, encouraging steroid withdrawal, and facilitating treatment of patients sensitized to human leukocytic antigens in addition to its crucial role in immunologic conditioning either by tolerance induction or alternatively minimizing the immunosuppressive drugs.

Different trends in induction therapy initially consisted of anti-thymocyte globulin, then anti-CD3 Orthoclone, and finally anti-CD20, 25, and 52 agents. Induction therapy is associated with beneficial short- and long-term outcomes when increased risk of adverse effects related to immune system suppression are an issue, especially from cytomegalovirus and lymphomas.