Begin typing your search above and press return to search.
Volume: 4 Issue: 2 December 2006 - Supplement - 1

FULL TEXT

OMISSION OF INTRAVENOUS CYCLOSPORINE FROM THE LIVER TRANSPLANTATION IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE REGIMENT: A PROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE STUDY

Cornerstone of immunosuppresion in liver transplantation is cyclosporine. However, it has nephrotoxicity particularly with intravenous administration. We undertook this study to omit “intravenous” cyclosporine from immunosuppresive regimen. In a prospective-comparative design, two groups of patients with different immunosuppressive regimens were compared. Group I contained 26 cases (mean age 21 yr) who received methylprednisolone (0.5-1g) IV for 3 days post OP; Cyclosporine A (1-2mg/kg/d) IV was started for 2-3 days and then changed into oral form. Furthermore, Azathioprine (0.5-1mg/kg/d) was added to the regimen. Group II contained 46 (mean age of 33.1) patients receiving methylprednisolone 0.5-1g IV for 3 days, and Cyclosporine A (3-5mg/kg/d) according to urine output with mycofenolate mofetil (1-2g/d) orally or via NG tube. There was no difference between the mean AST, ALT, and Alkaline phosphatase values (P=0.069). However, AST and ALT reached normal levels on day 7 in group I and on day 8 in the other group. Mean cyclosporine A levels (day 1-14) were 181.4 mg/dl in group I versus 102 mg/dl in group II. Target cyclosporine A levels (100-150 mg/dl) were obtained on day 3 in group I and on day 5 in group II. Mean BUN in group I (33.8 mg/dl) was considerably higher than group II (28.4 mg/dl, P=0.037). The same was true for second week post Op creatinine. Two patients in group I underwent hemodialysis, but none in group II did, despite the lower mean age of group I. Graft rejection in group I occurred more frequently (P<0.05). Methyl prednisolone, oral cyclosporine, and mycofenolate mofetil is a safe regimen and omits the risk of severe nephrotoxicity of intravenous cyclosporine A. Although target level of cyclosporine A is obtained later than IV route, rejection rate is considerably lower, probably due to added mycofenolate mofetil to the regimen.



Volume : 4
Issue : 2
Pages : 39


PDF VIEW [1214] KB.