REVERSAL OF ACUTE CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ORGAN REJECTION USING LARGE DOSES OF INTRAVENOUS PREDNISOLONE

Abstract The ability of single large (1 g.) doses of intravenous prednisolone to reverse rejection episodes has been investigated clinically and experimentally. Sixteen renal-transplant recipients have been treated in this way. The oral dose of prednisone was not increased during these episodes and no additional treatment was given. This therapy reversed 86% of rejection crises without any toxic effects. One patient has died from infection, 1 month after transplantation. Using the heterotopic rat-heart-transplant model the ability of intravenous prednisolone, antilymphocyte serum (A.L.S.), intraperitoneal prednisolone, and azathioprine to reverse rejection in recipients immunosuppressed with a single dose of A.L.S. at the time of transplantation were compared. Intravenous prednisolone was the only successful agent and prolonged survival by 9±3 days.