Steroid sensitivity of chronic uraemic and renal transplant patients measured by the antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity reaction.

: The steroid (methylprednisolone) sensitivity of chronic uraemic and renal transplant patients was examined on the basis of the extent of inhibition of the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) reaction, and via the effect on the ADCC capacity test (ADCC-C). Individuals with an inhibition of 30% or more were classified as steroid-sensitive. Immunopharmacological tests and the clinical picture showed 67%, 12 of the 18 renal transplant patients to be steroid-sensitive. In 92% of the cases the transplanted kidney was functioning well one year or more postoperatively. In 5 of the 6 steroid-resistant patients rejection necessitated removal of the transplanted kidney. The method is simple to perform and gives reproducible results, and appears suitable for application in clinical practice.