Circulating levels of cyclosporin A in inflammatory bowel disease: relationships with lymphocyte inhibition and the age of patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine in the same blood sample the concentrations of cyclosporin A (CsA) and the degree of CsA-induced lymphocyte inhibition; to establish a relationship between these parameters; and to investigate the factor(s) influencing such a putative relationship.


METHODS
Ten patients with a diagnosis of Crohn's disease (n=7) or ulcerative colitis (n=3) were enrolled in the study. The patients, who had never been immunosuppressed, were treated with microemulsion CsA twice daily by the oral route; at steady-state, blood samples were collected 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 12 h after the morning dose. CsA blood levels were measured by means of radioimmunoassay. The percentages of lymphocytes during the S-phase were assessed by flow-cytometry on the same blood specimens, only for samples collected at 0 h and 2 h.


RESULTS
An inverse relationship emerged between CsA blood concentrations and the percentage of lymphocytes during the S-phase: the latter was maximal before the beginning of treatment and minimal in association with peak CsA levels. Furthermore, a highly significant correlation was found between trough CsA levels and the age of the patient, since the percentage of inhibited lymphocytes increases with age.
Angeloni
Giulia
G
Centro di Ricerca e Formazione ad alta Tecnologia nelle Scienze Biomediche, Campobasso, Italy.
Latteri
Miriam
M
Manna
Raffaele
R
Rumi
Carlo
C
Gasbarrini
Giovanni
G
Navarra
Pierluigi
P
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000187:drug effects; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004655:Emulsions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D004655:Emulsions; D016572:Cyclosporine