Low dose thymoglobulin versus basiliximab in cytomegalovirus positive kidney transplant recipients: Effectiveness of preemptive cytomegalovirus modified strategy

Background: We performed a retrospective trial to determine asymptomatic CMV reactivation and CMV disease in kidney allograft recipients with positive CMV serostatus. Methods: Preemptive modified strategy under low dose thymoglobulin versus basiliximab induction was evaluated. Patients were monitored by CMV-polymerase chain reaction (PCR); if the viral load was >4000 copies/μl, they received valganciclovir adjusted for their renal function. Results: 132 recipients were included in the study, 84 and 48 receiving basiliximab and thymoglobulin induction respectively, and followed up for 12 months. Asymptomatic CMV reactivation was significantly higher for thymoglobulin (77.1% vs. 16.7%, p