title: Single-center experience with tacrolimus versus cyclosporine-Neoral in renal transplant recipients.
abstract: Tacrolimus has proven to be superior to cyclosporine-Sandimmune with regard to the prevention of acute rejections, but data comparing tacrolimus with Neoral are scarce. A total of 128 consecutive renal transplant recipients was studied. The patients were treated with Neoral-based (n = 74) or tacrolimus-based (n = 54) immunosuppressive regimens. Survival analyses (Cox regression analysis) were performed on an intention-to-treat basis. Renal function and cardiovascular risk profile were analyzed by means of a repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) up to 12 months after transplantation. Immunological features were less favorable in the tacrolimus group. Two-year patient and graft survival were comparable. Acute-rejection-free survival was 82 % in the tacrolimus group versus 40 % in the Neoral group (P < 0.0001). The severity of the rejections (1997 Banff classification) was comparable (P = 0.43). Immunological graft loss (3.7 % vs. 12.2 %, P = 0.02) and conversion because of rejection (0 % vs. 28.4 %, P < 0.001) were less in the tacrolimus group. A higher proportion (68.5 % vs. 14.9 %, P < 0.001) was successfully put on monotherapy. Creatinine clearance, proteinuria, and fractional uric acid clearance were similar. In the tacrolimus group mean blood pressure was comparable, but patients needed less anti-hypertensive drugs (P < 0.001) and, even with fewer patients on lipid-lowering drugs, total cholesterol was lower (5.2 vs. 6.0 mmol/l, P = 0.003). Treatment for post-transplant diabetes mellitus was 18.5 % versus 10.8 % (P = 0.22). In both groups, antidiabetic medication could be withdrawn for most patients. This study indicates that tacrolimus is superior to cyclosporine-Neoral in preventing acute rejection with comparable patient and graft survival rates. Because of a lower need for treatment of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, the cardiovascular risk profile is more favorable. A considerable proportion of patients can be successfully weaned off co-medication and treated with tacrolimus monotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University Hospital Maastricht, P. O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands. jboo@sint.azm.nl
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Boots
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: van Duijnhoven
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Christiaans
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Nieman
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: van Suylen
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: van Hooff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D002784:Cholesterol; D016559:Tacrolimus