Immunosuppressive drugs in kidney transplantation: impact on patient survival, and incidence of cardiovascular disease, malignancy and infection.

Renal transplant recipients have increased mortality rates when compared with the general population. The new immunosuppressive drugs have improved short-term patient survival up to 95% at 1–2 years, but these data have to be confirmed in long-term follow-up. Furthermore, no particular regimen has proved to be superior over others with regard to patient survival.