ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN CYCLOSPORINE THERAPY AND INTERSTITIAL FIBROSIS IN RENAL ALLOGRAFT BIOPSIES1,2

Abstract

No significant difference in any measure of IF was found between all CsA⁺ vs. CsA^- patients, although both groups showed a highly significant increase in IF compared with control pretransplant donor biopsies. Similarly, no differences in tubular changes or the patterns of fibrosis were identified between CsA groups. However, since the mean interval between transplantand biopsy was significantly (p- group, measures of creatining and If were nonrmalized by the time interval between transplant and biopsy, and were stratified into biopsies obtained before or after 6 months posttransplant. By this stratification and normalization, both the baseline creatinine (P months posttransplant normalized by interval showed no suggested differences between the CsA⁺ and CsA^- groups in terms of creatinine levels or any measure of IF. tubular epithelial changes were not different in the CsA⁺ and CsA^- groups within either period. These results suggest that CsA therapy is not associated with increased interstitial fibrosis in renal allografts prior to 6 months posttransplant, after which there is a signivicant increase in fibrosis relative to patients not receiving CsA.