The Efficacy and Safety of Rituximab as Induction Therapy in Kidney Transplantation: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
1Department of Urology/Institute of Urology/Organ Transplantation Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
2West China School of Clinical Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Meeting: 2018 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: B130
Keywords: Induction therapy, Kidney transplantation, Meta-analysis, Rejection
Session Information
Session Name: Poster Session B: Kidney Immunosuppression: Induction Therapy
Session Type: Poster Session
Date: Sunday, June 3, 2018
Session Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Presentation Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Hall 4EF
Objectives. This meta-analysis was undertaken to assess the efficacy and safety of rituximab as induction therapy in kidney transplantation.
Methods. OVID, Embase, SCI, PubMed and EBSCO were searched till May 2016 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that used rituximab as induction therapy in kidney transplantation. Major outcomes included rejection, infection, graft survival, and death. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3.5.
Results. Five RCTs met our selection criteria, including 482 kidney transplant recipients. Four of them were multicenter studies. The patients sample size ranged from 13 to 280 and the follow-up duration from 1 to 3 years. The meta-analysis showed that rituximab induction significantly reduced antibody-mediated rejections (2.9% vs. 9.7%; RR =0.32; 95%CI 0.13-0.76; P=0.01). No significant differences were observed in other efficacy and safety parameters: acute rejection (16.8% vs. 21.1%; RR=0.80; 95%CI 0.55-1.17; P=0.25), graft survival (94.8% vs. 90.7%; RR=1.05; 95%CI 0.99-1.10; P=0.09), mortality (2.6% vs. 3.0%; RR=0.87; 95%CI 0.32-2.37; P=0.79) and cytomegalovirus infection (12.8% vs. 10.0%; RR=1.29; 95%CI 0.78-2.12; P=0.33), respectively.
Conclusions. It is safe to use rituximab as induction therapy in kidney transplantation, and rituximab induction could significantly reduce antibody-mediated rejection.
CITATION INFORMATION: Wang X., Chen J., Tu X., Qiu Y., Song T., Lin T. The Efficacy and Safety of Rituximab as Induction Therapy in Kidney Transplantation: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Wang X, Chen J, Tu X, Qiu Y, Song T, Lin T. The Efficacy and Safety of Rituximab as Induction Therapy in Kidney Transplantation: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials [abstract]. https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/the-efficacy-and-safety-of-rituximab-as-induction-therapy-in-kidney-transplantation-a-meta-analysis-of-randomized-controlled-trials/. Accessed July 1, 2025.« Back to 2018 American Transplant Congress