Induction agents and their role in low-immunological-risk kidney transplant recipients: A Review

Abstract

Induction agents are widely used at the time of kidney transplantation to decrease the risk of rejection. While there is a strong immunological rationale supporting the use of induction immunosuppression, the clinical evidence demonstrating benefit in low-immunological-risk recipients in addition to current effective maintenance immunosuppression is less robust, especially in terms of improvement in long-term graft survival. This review aims to shed light on the immunological basis of use of induction immunosuppression, available options of induction agents and the current evidence and recommendation for their use in low-immunological-risk kidney transplant recipients.