Conversion to cyclosporine provides valuable rescue therapy for living donor adult liver transplant patients intolerant to tacrolimus: A single-center experience at the University of Tokyo.
Tacrolimus-based immunosuppression is currently accepted as mainstream therapy in many transplant centers worldwide due to its potent immunosuppressive activity compared to cyclosporine. A tacrolimus-based regimen has been successfully used for our living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) recipients. Adverse effects such as neurotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and new-onset diabetes mellitus, however, have limited its clinical application. In deceased donor liver transplantation, cyclosporine rescue therapy is valuable for such complications, but few reports have described a strategy for conversion in LDLT. Herein, we present our experience of conversion from tacrolimus to cyclosporine therapy in adult LDLT recipients. Among 203 recipients, 37 patients (18%) required conversion, primarily for neurotoxicity (41%), diabetes mellitus (16%), hematopoietic disorder (16%), and gastrointestinal intolerance (11%). Primary adverse events resolved within 2 months after conversion in 35/37 (94%) of the patients. For LDLT recipients unable to maintain effective immunosuppression with tacrolimus, conversion to cyclosporine is an effective option.
Tamura
S
S
Artificial Organ and Transplantation Division, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Sugawara
Y
Y
Kishi
Y
Y
Akamatsu
N
N
Kaneko
J
J
Murai
N
N
Makuuchi
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014041:Tokyo
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D016559:Tacrolimus