Safety and metabolic advantages of steroid withdrawal after 6 months posttransplant in de novo kidney transplantation: A 1-year prospective cohort study

Abstract

Introduction: This prospective multicenter study aimed at investigating the safety and metabolic advantages of steroid withdrawal (SW) therapy in kidney transplant recipients with tacrolimus–mycophenolate mofetil-based immunosuppression. Methods: We analyzed 179 recipients who received kidney transplantation from March 2016 and September 2018. In 179 recipients, 114 patients maintained an immunosuppressive regimen including steroids (steroid continuation [SC] group). The remaining 65 patients were determined to withdraw steroid therapy after 6 months posttransplant (SW group). Metabolic parameters and graft functions of the two groups were evaluated. Results: The estimated glomerular filtration rates at 12 months posttransplant were 67.29 ± 20.29 ml/min/1.73 m2 in SC group and 73.72 ± 17.57 ml/min/1.73 m2 in SW group (p