title: Evaluation of neurotoxicity in pediatric renal transplant recipients treated with tacrolimus (FK506).
abstract: The presence of severe and mild neurotoxicity in our pediatric renal transplant recipients treated with tacrolimus was determined by chart review (severe neurotoxicity) and patient survey (mild neurotoxicity). 14 patients were studied (mean age 15 yr, 5 month, +/- 4.4 yr). 1 patient experienced seizures, felt to be related to malignant hypertension. No other episode of severe neurotoxicity was documented. Most patients (12/14) reported at least one mild neurologic symptom, and half stated their symptoms were present at least 'most of the time'. The most frequent complaints were myalgias (7/14, 50%) and tremors (7/14, 50%) followed by fatigue (5/14, 38%). Severe neurotoxicity may be relatively infrequent in pediatric renal transplant patients treated with tacrolimus. Milder neurologic complaints may be commonly seen in this population, but in general are not severe enough to cause discontinuation of tacrolimus.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. aneu@gwgate1.jhmi.jhu.edu
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Neu
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Furth
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Case
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Colombani
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Fivush
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005123:Eye / Q000187:drug effects; D005221:Fatigue / Q000139:chemically induced; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D006941:Hyperesthesia / Q000139:chemically induced; D006974:Hypertension, Malignant / Q000150:complications; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014202:Tremor / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016559:Tacrolimus