title: Vasculopathy in cyclosporine-treated renal allografts: possible protection by diltiazem.
abstract: Morphometric quantitative analysis of the renal arterioles (arteriole wall thickness and overall vessel size) in renal biopsies from 21 cadaveric renal allograft recipients taken immediately prior to (0 months) and 3 months after transplantation was carried out using a computer-aided image analyzer. Patients (n = 10) who received standard therapy (cyclosporine, azathioprine and prednisolone) showed an increase in arteriole wall thickness at 3 months compared to 0 months (p < 0.01). Patients (n = 11) who received standard therapy and oral diltiazem (60 mg t.d.s.) showed no such change in the arteriole wall thickness between 0 and 3 months. As cyclosporine toxicity and/or chronic vascular rejection are associated with an increase in arteriole wall thickness, the differences observed in this study may imply a protective role for diltiazem on renal arterioles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: B Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Choy
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001160:Arterioles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004110:Diltiazem / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D016572:Cyclosporine; D011239:Prednisolone; D004110:Diltiazem; D001379:Azathioprine