title: Immunosuppression and modulation in liver transplantation.
abstract: Recent advances in immunosuppressive drug regimens have changed the outcome after liver transplantation significantly in the last two decades. However, chronic rejection and long-term graft survival remains a major problem. Side effects like drug-induced nephrotoxicity, hypertension, osteoporosis, hyperlipidaemia and neuropathy of some immunosuppressive agents play an essential role in long-term allograft and patient survival. This review outlines the current treatment of short- and long-term immunosuppression in liver transplanted patients, it summarizes the treatment of acute and chronic rejection, describes the complications and side effects of immunosuppressive therapy and points out the current use of immunosuppressive therapy in living-related liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine IV, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases, Intoxications, University of Heidelberg, Bergheimerstrasse 58, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany. Jens_Encke@med.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Encke
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Uhl
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stremmel
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sauer
mesh_terms: D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000821:virology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D019520:Living Donors; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D001379:Azathioprine; D020123:Sirolimus; D016559:Tacrolimus