title: Rapid steroid taper and neoral monotherapy in liver transplantation in Chile: a step in the right direction?
abstract: Diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity, osteopenia, and increased risk of viral recurrence are among the complications associated with posttransplant steroid use. Steroid withdrawal or rapid taper has been reported to be safe. The aim of this study was to compare the rejection incidence and severity among patients treated with two different steroid taper strategies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included all the adult liver transplant recipients since the program's inception from 1993 to January 2002. The minimum follow-up was 1 year. Exclusions included patients receiving an immunosupressive regimen other than mycophenolate mofetil, steroids, and Neoral, or suffering an autoimmune etiology, or displaying patient or graft survival less than 1 year. The incidence and severity of rejection episodes were compared between the two groups of steroid taper protocols: group A received methylprednisolone (1 g) intraoperatively with a slow taper to 10 mg prednisone per day at 1 year. Group B received methylprednisolone (2 g) intraoperatively followed by a rapid reduction with intention to withdraw by month 4, continuing on Neoral monotherapy. Rejection diagnosis was made on histological bases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One-month and 1-year rejection rates were 47% and 53%, respectively, among the rapid taper group with Neoral monotherapy, which was similar to 60% and 64%, respectively, in the slow taper group. Rejection severity was also comparable between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients treated with a rapid steroid taper protocol followed by Neoral monotherapy or a slow taper protocol showed similar acute rejection incidences and severities. Their survival rates were also comparable. Further study is necessary to evaluate the impact of rapid steroid taper to prevent the complications of steroid use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Transplant Unit, Clinica Alemana Santiago, Santiago, Chile. finnocenti@alemana.cl
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Innocenti
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hepp
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Humeres
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sanhueza
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zapata
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rios
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sandoval
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rius
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zamboni
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000821:virology; D013997:Time Factors; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine