Comparative outcomes of calcineurin inhibitor-free versus standard immunosuppression in kidney transplant recipients

Authors

  • Chiranjeev Singh
  • Prachi Gurudiwan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.65327/kidneys.v14i4.562

Keywords:

kidney transplantation; calcineurin inhibitors; CNI-free immunosuppression; belatacept; graft survival; nephrotoxicity; acute rejection; immunosuppressive strategies

Abstract

End-stage renal disease patients with improved lifestyle checks will profit more from a kidney
transplant than from any other type of treatment. Toxic sites with increased rejection risk are often treated
with calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) such as tacrolimus and cyclosporine-drugs. They are very effective at
reducing the risk of rejection but extremely nephrotoxic and metabolically disruptive protecting the body
from unwanted consequences while providing immunological assistance with CNI-free approaches, such
as belatacept-based and mTOR inhibitors that have been designed to mitigate the risk. To assess the effect
of CNI-based versus CNI-free immunosuppression, a big comparative study in more than one hundred
transplant patients was conducted on a one-year follow-up study. The belatacept-treated CNI-free cohort
was compared to the other cohort receiving the control treatment in addition to portal mycophenolate.
Objectives for the study were post-surgical organ rejection, survival of the transplanted organ, multiple
infections, and all nuances of nephrotoxic and metabolic derangement. The results were fewer fragments
and a CNI-free cohort, with improved acute rejection control and reduced total nephrotoxicity balance
pumps. These findings conclude that CNI-free is superior to CNI administered.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Chiranjeev Singh

Kalinga University, Raipur, India

Prachi Gurudiwan

Kalinga University, Raipur, India

References

Hansen CM, Bachmann S, Su M, Budde K, Choi M. Calcineurin inhibitor associated nephrotoxicity in kidney transplantation —

a transplant nephrologist’s perspective. Acta Physiol. 2025;241(5).

doi: 10.1111/apha.70047.

Reddy S, Verma M. Enhancing patient comprehension through

simplified medical terminology: a literacy-based approach. Glob J

Med Terminol Res Inform. 2024;2(1):1-3.

Regele F, Haupenthal F, Doberer K, Görzer I, Kapps S, et al.

The kinetics of Torque Teno virus plasma load following calcineurin

inhibitor dose change in kidney transplant recipients. J Med Virol.

;96(3). doi: 10.1002/jmv.29554.

Marhoon HA, Shaker LM. LEACH-based approach using

first-order model for energy efficient routing in WSNs for mobile diabetes patient monitoring. J Wireless Mobile Netw Ubiquitous Comput

Dependable Appl. 2025;16(2):105-118. doi: 10.58346/jowua.2025.

i2.007.

Liefeldt L, Waiser J, Bachmann F, Budde K, Friedersdorff F,

et al. Long-term outcome after early mammalian target of rapamycin

inhibitor-based immunosuppression in kidney transplant recipients. J

Clin Med. 2024;13(15):4305. doi: 10.3390/jcm13154305.

Nithyalakshmi V, Sivakumar R, Sivaramakrishnan A. Automatic detection and classification of diabetes using artificial intelligence. Int Acad J Innov Res. 2021;8(1):1-5. doi: 10.9756/iajir/v8i1/

iajir0801.

Sanada S, Katano S, Asami K, et al. Correlation between

dietary salt intake and renal outcomes related to calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity in kidney transplant recipients. Sci Rep.

;15:26466. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-11292-4.

Dewangan T, Singh C. A nano-zinc oxide-based drug delivery

system and its biomedical applications. Nat Eng Sci. 2024;9(3):193-

doi: 10.28978/nesciences.1606636.

Noble J, Leon J, Del Bello A, Anglicheau D, Blancho G, et al.

Belatacept in kidney transplantation: reflecting on the past, shaping

the future. Transpl Int. 2025;38. doi: 10.3389/ti.2025.14412.

Papalou A. Proposed information system towards computerized technological application — recommendation for the acquisition, implementation, and support of a health information system. Int

J Commun Comput Technol. 2023;8(2):1-4.

Bollano E, Andreassen AK, Eiskjaer H, Gustafsson F,

Rådegran G, et al. Long-term follow-up of the randomized, prospective Scandinavian heart transplant everolimus de novo study

with early calcineurin inhibitors avoidance (SCHEDULE) trial. J

Heart Lung Transplant. 2024;43(12):1948-1959. doi: 10.1016/j.

healun.2024.07.002.

Kim YJ, Lee SW, Kim MS, et al. Anuria after kidney transplantation diagnosed as early recurrence of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis combined with acute calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity:

a case report and literature review. BMC Nephrol. 2024;25:123. doi:

1186/s12882-024-03524-y.

Jin B, Lu Z, Cheng C, Pei Y, Chen L, et al. Factors associated with chronic calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity in children with minimal-change disease. Ren Fail. 2025;47(1). doi:

1080/0886022x.2025.2474743.

Ji Y, Sun L, Fei S, et al. Long-term outcomes in rapamycin

on renal allograft function: a 30-year follow-up from a single-center

experience. BMC Nephrol. 2024;25:311. doi: 10.1186/s12882-024-

-8.

Tang Y, Zhu J, Mao X, Cai Z. Impact of rapamycin on

delayed graft function in kidney transplant recipients: a metaanalysis. Ren Fail. 2025;47(1). doi: 10.1080/0886022x.2025.

Khan MA, Hanna A, Sridhara S, Chaudhari H, Me HM,

et al. Maintenance immunosuppression in kidney transplantation:

a review of the current status and future directions. J Clin Med.

;14(6):1821. doi: 10.3390/jcm14061821.

Huelsboemer L, Boroumand S, Kochen A, Dony A, Moscarelli J, et al. Immunosuppressive strategies in face and hand transplantation: a comprehensive systematic review of current therapy

regimens and outcomes. Front Transplant. 2024;3. doi: 10.3389/frtra.2024.1366243.

Russo MW, Wheless W, Vrochides D. Management of

long-term complications from immunosuppression. Liver Transpl.

;30(6):647-658. doi: 10.1097/lvt.0000000000000341.

Lee JG. How to prevent chronic kidney disease after liver transplantation? Ann Liver Transplant. 2024;4(1):1-9. doi:

52604/alt.24.0005.

Luft FC. Calcineurin inhibition, cardiovascular consequences, vascular resistance, and potential responses. Acta Physiol.

;240(3). doi: 10.1111/apha.14084.

Hussaini SA, Waziri B, Dickens C, Duarte R. Pharmacogenetics of calcineurin inhibitors in kidney transplant recipients: the

African gap. A narrative review. Pharmacogenomics. 2024;25(7):329-

doi: 10.1080/14622416.2024.2370761.

Dash K, Mishra M. The tradeoff between the efficacy of

calcineurin inhibitors: prevention of allograft rejection vs. posttransplant renal and cardiovascular complications. Crit Rev Toxicol.

;55(1):63-79. doi: 10.1080/10408444.2024.2433631.

Johnson AC, Zhang J, Karadkhele G, Gragert L, Hertzberg V,

Larsen CP. Belatacept with time-limited tacrolimus coimmunosuppression modifies the 3-year risk of eplet mismatch in kidney transplantation.

Am J Transplant. 2023;24(2):260-270. doi: 10.1016/j.ajt.2023.09.011.

Nageh A, Ahmed HI, Afify H, Balah A. Calcineurin inhibitors-induced nephrotoxicity: molecular mechanisms and mitigation strategies. Azhar Int J Pharm Med Sci. 2025;5(2):1-11. doi:

21608/aijpms.2025.250432.1241.

Chavarot N, Cabezas L, Kaminski H, Lazareth H, Try M,

et al. Similar efficacy in belatacept-converted kidney transplant recipients with steroid-avoiding regimen. Kidney Int Rep. 2024;10(3):803-

doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2024.12.019.

Downloads

Published

2025-11-15

How to Cite

Chiranjeev Singh, & Prachi Gurudiwan. (2025). Comparative outcomes of calcineurin inhibitor-free versus standard immunosuppression in kidney transplant recipients. KIDNEYS, 14(4), 299–305. https://doi.org/10.65327/kidneys.v14i4.562

Issue

Section

Research Article