Influence of Sirolimus and MMF on Vascular Function and Markers of Cellular Function in Renal Transplant Recipients

Chronic transplant nephropathy and cardiovascular death are the main reasons for loss of transplanted organs after kidney transplantation. Vascular changes, induced by hypertension and/or immunological processes, determine long time transplant survival. It will be tested whether the withdrawal of calcineurininhibitors will improve the vessel wall function in renal transplant patients. It is supposed that this immunosuppressive regimen reduces the activation of endothelial cells with important impact on arteriosclerosis and therefore on patient and transplant survival.