Vascular endothelial function in cyclosporine and tacrolimus treated renal transplant recipients.
BACKGROUND
Endothelial dysfunction is an early key event in the development of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), thus an early marker of subclinical ASCVD. Endothelial function is impaired in renal transplant recipients (RTR) treated with cyclosporine (CyA). Tacrolimus is associated with less hyperlipidemia and hypertension than CyA, however, there are no data on endothelial function in tacrolimus-treated RTR.


METHODS
High-resolution brachial ultrasonography was used to assess endothelium-dependent dilatation (EDD), and endothelium-independent dilatation (EID) in 20 stable RTR and a control group of 10 healthy subjects without clinical evidence of ASCVD. The RTR group included patients receiving CyA (n=10) and tacrolimus (n=10). EDD and EID were measured as percent increase in brachial artery diameter in response to reactive hyperemia and nitroglycerin, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
EDD was significantly lower in RTR versus controls (1.7+/-0.7 vs. 7.3+/-0.7%, P<0.0001), whereas EID was similar in the two groups. No significant differences were found in EDD or in EID between CyA- and tacrolimus-treated RTR. Glomerular filtration rate, plasma homocysteine, blood pressure, and lipid profiles were similar in CyA- and tacrolimus-treated RTR.
Ovuworie
C A
CA
Renal Unit and Transplantation Units, GRB 858, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston MA 02114, USA.
Fox
E R
ER
Chow
C M
CM
Pascual
M
M
Shih
V E
VE
Picard
M H
MH
Tolkoff-Rubin
N E
NE
D000328:Adult; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014664:Vasodilation
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D016559:Tacrolimus