title: The optimal immunosuppressant after liver transplantation according to diagnosis: cyclosporine A or FK506?
abstract: Since we may soon be able to choose between primarily CsA- or FK506-based immunosuppression, it is important to establish the superior immunosuppressive agent for the individual patient. In the present study, 121 patients, 61 randomly assigned to FK506- and 60 assigned to CsA-based immunosuppression, were analyzed according to the primary diagnosis for liver transplantation. One-year patient survival was similar in all groups. However, the incidence and severity of acute rejection within the 1st year after transplantation was significantly higher in patients transplanted due to HCV disease who were receiving FK506 (58.8%) compared with those patients receiving CsA (27.8%; p < or = 0.05). Furthermore, the incidence of moderate and severe neurotoxicity was significantly higher during the 1st month after LTX in patients transplanted owing to HCV disease treated with FK506 (35.3%) compared with those patients receiving CsA (16.7%; p < or = 0.05). Irrespective of the immunosuppressive regimen, the incidence of early postoperative neurotoxicity was significantly lower in patients transplanted owing to HBV disease, alcoholic cirrhosis and various other liver diseases summarized than in patients transplanted due to HCV disease receiving FK506 therapy. During the 1st year, the incidence and severity of rejection in patients transplanted due to alcoholic cirrhosis and PBC was significantly lower in patients treated with FK506 (11.1% for both groups) compared with those patients receiving CsA (54.5% and 60.0%, respectively; p < or = 0.05. Furthermore, this was accompanied by a lower incidence of toxicity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Free University of Berlin, Universitätsklinikum Rudolf Virchow, Germany.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Platz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blumhardt
authors.forename: W O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Bechstein
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Steinmüller
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Christe
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hopf
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lobeck
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neuhaus
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D016559:Tacrolimus