Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Proteinuria directly correlates with long-term survival of transplanted kidney and is an independent risk factor influencing long-term survival of transplanted kidney and leading to death of transplant patients.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blocker combined with tripterygium glycosides in treatment of proteinuria after kidney transplantation.
METHODS: Forty-five patients presenting with proteinuria after kidney transplantation were divided into three groups: treatment, tripterygium glycosides group and control. In the treatment group, based on conventional application of immunosuppressive agent, 2-fold dose of angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blocker combined with tripterygium glycosides (1 mg/kg per day) were used. In the tripterygium glycosides group, tripterygium glycosides (1 mg/kg per day) was used. In the control group, only immunosuppressive agent was used.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: At 12 months after treatment, 24-hour urine protein, ciclosporin A concentration, ciclosporin A dosage were significantly lower in the treatment and tripterygium glycosides groups than in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, urea nitrogen and creatinine levels in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control and tripterygium glycosides groups (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blocker combined with tripterygium glycosides can obviously decrease urine protein level after kidney and reduce immunosuppressive agent application dose, exhibiting a protective effect on transplanted kidney.