Image_2_Graft Pre-conditioning by Peri-Operative Perfusion of Kidney Allografts With Rabbit Anti-human T-lymphocyte Globulin Results in Improved Kidney Graft Function in the Early Post-transplantation Period—a Prospective, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.TIF RitschlPaul V. GüntherJulia HofhanselLena A. KühlAnja SattlerArne ErnstStefanie FriedersdorffFrank EbnerSusanne WeissSascha BösmüllerClaudia WeissenbacherAnnemarie OberhuberRupert CardiniBenno ÖllingerRobert SchneebergerStefan BieblMatthias DeneckeChristian MargreiterChristian ReschThomas AignerFelix MaglioneManuel PratschkeJohann KotschKatja 2018 <p>Introduction: Although prone to a higher degree of ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI), the use of extended criteria donor (ECD) organs has become reality in transplantation. We therefore postulated that peri-operative perfusion of renal transplants with anti-human T-lymphocyte globulin (ATLG) ameliorates IRI and results in improved graft function.</p><p>Methods: We performed a randomized, single-blinded, placebo-controlled trial involving 50 kidneys (KTx). Prior to implantation organs were perfused and incubated with ATLG (AP) (n = 24 kidney). Control organs (CP) were perfused with saline only (n = 26 kidney). Primary endpoint was defined as graft function reflected by serum creatinine at day 7 post transplantation (post-tx).</p><p>Results: AP-KTx recipients illustrated significantly better graft function at day 7 post-tx as reflected by lower creatinine levels, whereas no treatment effect was observed after 12 months surveillance. During the early hospitalization phase, 16 of the 26 CP-KTx patients required dialysis during the first 7 days post-tx, whereas only 10 of the 24 AP-KTx patients underwent dialysis. No treatment-specific differences were detected for various lymphocytes subsets in the peripheral blood of patients. Additionally, mRNA analysis of 0-h biopsies post incubation with ATLG revealed no changes of intragraft inflammatory expression patterns between AP and CP organs.</p><p>Conclusion: We here present the first clinical study on peri-operative organ perfusion with ATLG illustrating improved graft function in the early period post kidney transplantation.</p><p>Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03377283</p>