A Randomized Controlled Trial on Safety of Steroid Avoidance in Immunologically Low-Risk Kidney Transplant Recipients

INTRODUCTION: Steroid-based immunosuppression after transplantation increases the risk of post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM), with adverse effects on patient and graft survival. In the SAILOR study, we investigated the safety and efficacy of complete steroid avoidance in immunologically low-risk kidney recipients without diabetes on the current standard-of-care maintenance regimen with tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). METHODS: In this 2-year, multicenter, open-label trial, a total of 222 patients were randomized to receive either steroid avoidance protocol (tacrolimus/MMF/antithymocyte globulin [ATG] induction [n = 113]) or steroid maintenance protocol (tacrolimus/MMF/prednisolone/basiliximab-induction [n = 109]). RESULTS: At 1 year, no significant differences were found between steroid avoidance and steroid maintenance arms in the incidence of PTDM, the primary end point (12.4% vs. 18.3%, respectively, P = 0.30, CI: 16.3–4.4), or in overall biopsy-proven rejections (15% vs. 13.8%, respectively, P = 0.85). At 2 years, the composite end point of freedom from acute rejection, graft loss, and death (81% vs. 85%, respectively, P = 0.4), kidney function, or adverse events was comparable between the 2 arms. Moreover, 63.9% of the patients in the steroid avoidance arm remained free from steroids at 2 years. CONCLUSION: The SAILOR study provides further evidence for the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of early steroid-free treatment at 2 years in immunologically low-risk kidney recipients with tacrolimus/MMF maintenance regimen.