title: Does mycophenolate mofetil increase the incidence of infections in renal transplant recipients?
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate infectious complications in renal transplant recipients (RTRs) receiving mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) for prevention of acute transplant rejection. A group of RTRs (n = 47) receiving 1.0-2.0 g/day of MMF with cyclosporine A (CsA) and prednisolone to maintain immunosuppression was compared with a group (n = 47) taking triple immunosuppressive therapy including azathioprine. In both groups the etiology and incidence of infections were evaluated. During 2 years post-transplant, various infections developed in 72.3% of patients who received MMF and in 93.6% of those who received azathioprine. The incidence of viral infections was 53.2% in the MMF group and 59.6% in the azathioprine group and the incidence of bacterial infection was 55.3% and 70.2%, respectively There were two cases of active tuberculosis in the azathioprine group and one in the MMF group. MMF 1.0-2.0 g/day does not increase infection rates in RTRs compared with azathioprine.
authors.affiliation: Moscow Regional Research Clinical Institute, Department of Dialysis and Kidney Transplantation, Moscow, Russian Federation. linkor@moscow.portal.ru
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prokopenko
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scherbakova
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vatazin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pasov
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Budnikova
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agafonova
mesh_terms: D001379:Azathioprine / Q000009:adverse effects; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D011239:Prednisolone; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D001379:Azathioprine