title: Conversion of liver allograft recipients from cyclosporine to FK506 immunosuppressive therapy--a clinicopathologic study of 96 patients.
abstract: The effect of conversion from cyclosporine-steroid immunosuppression to the new agent FK506 was studied in 96 liver allograft recipients who were experiencing graft dysfunction or cyclosporine toxicity. Patients were stratified according to the cause of graft dysfunction that ultimately led to conversion to FK506. Response to FK506 introduction was monitored pathologically and biochemically. The outcome of a switch from CsA to FK506 was highly favorable in patients experiencing acute and the early stages of chronic rejection, despite optimal conventional therapy. Patients with later stages of chronic rejection did not respond to conversion to FK506 and most eventually lost their liver grafts in this process. Patients in whom we had difficulty separating chronic rejection from chronic persistent or low-grade chronic active hepatitis were mostly unaffected by conversion to FK506. Active hepatitis was a poor indication for conversion, because most of the patients experienced graft failure or died from liver failure. As a group, there was no statistically significant change in renal function 180 days after conversion to FK506. These findings expand the experience with FK506 in human liver allograft recipients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Presbyterian University Hospital, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Demetris
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Todo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCauley
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takaya
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alessiani
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abu-Elmagd
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Van Thiel
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Starzl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000473:pathology; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007223:Infant; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D016572:Cyclosporine; D016559:Tacrolimus