title: Improved liver function and decreased hepatitis C viral load after tacrolimus was replaced by cyclosporine.
abstract: Potential antiviral properties of cyclosporine against hepatitis C virus have been highlighted in several publications. Therefore, we investigated the effect of a switch from tacrolimus to cyclosporine in a liver transplant recipient with recurrent hepatitis C who did not respond to antiviral therapy. The patient received a liver transplant for hepatitis C cirrhosis. Initial immunosuppressive treatment was based on tacrolimus. Because of viral activity, a combined therapy was initiated 20 months later including interferon and ribavirine. Then, due to a lack of virological and biochemical response, tacrolimus was replaced by cyclosporine (Neoral), while maintaining the same antiviral therapy. Decreases in the viral load and transaminases levels were observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Liver Disease, CHU Pontchaillou, Rennes, France. richard.lorho@chu-rennes.fr
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lorho
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Turlin
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: de Lajarte-Thirouard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Camus
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lakehal
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Compagnon
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meunier
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boudjema
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Messner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016572:Cyclosporine; D016559:Tacrolimus