Corticosteroid withdrawal after liver transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Long-term side effects of corticosteroids (CSs) result in > major morbidity for recipients of orthotopic liver transplants (OLT). We instituted a program of CS withdrawal among OLT recipients to quantify the contribution of CS to adverse clinical sequelae and to determine whether long-term CS administration is necessary to avoid rejection.


METHODS
Recipients who had normal allograft function on CS, cyclosporine, and azathioprine more than 1 year after OLT were offered CS withdrawal during 12 to 22 weeks. Patients underwent routine clinical monitoring and laboratory studies. Continuous variables were compared by paired t test analysis.


RESULTS
CSs were discontinued in 51 recipients; 45 (88%) of 51 patients remain steroid-free after a mean follow-up of 13.8 months (range, 4 to 36). CS therapy was reinstituted in 6 patients who had abnormal transaminase levels during routine follow-up. Among the patients who remain off CS, there were no significant changes in blood pressure, transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, or glucose levels during the study period. Mean number of blood pressure medications decreased from 0.7 +/- 0.1 to 0.4 +/- 0.1 (p = 0.007). Cholesterol decreased from 217 +/- 8 mg/dl on CS to 204 +/- 9 mg/dl at 1 month (p = 0.0001), 183 +/- 10 mg/dl at 3 months (p = 0.0001), 198 +/- 8 mg/dl at 6 months (p = 0.04), 213 +/- 11 mg/dl at 12 months (p = 0.01), 209 mg/dl +/- 16 at 18 months (p = 0.02), and 183 +/- 19 mg/dl at 24 months (p = 0.2) off CS. Weight loss occurred in 88% of patients and averaged 9.5 pounds.


CONCLUSIONS
CS therapy can be successfully withdrawn without precipitating rejection in liver transplant recipients who have stable graft function 1 year after OLT. The incidence and severity of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia are reduced in patients whose CSs have been withdrawn.
Punch
J D
JD
Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, USA.
Shieck
V L
VL
Campbell
D A
DA
Bromberg
J S
JS
Turcotte
J G
JG
Merion
R M
RM
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000139:chemically induced; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016031:Liver Transplantation
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D001379:Azathioprine