title: Everolimus versus azathioprine in maintenance lung transplant recipients: an international, randomized, double-blind clinical trial.
abstract: Everolimus is a proliferation signal inhibitor with immunosuppressive activity that may reduce the rate of progression of chronic rejection, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), after lung transplantation. In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, 213 BOS-free maintenance patients received everolimus (3 mg/day) or azathioprine (AZA, 1-3 mg/kg/day) in combination with cyclosporine and corticosteroids. The prospectively defined primary endpoint was the incidence of efficacy failure (decline in FEV1 >15%[deltaFEV1 >15%], graft loss, death or loss to follow-up) at 12 months. Incidence of efficacy failure at 12 months was significantly lower in the everolimus group than AZA (21.8% vs. 33.9%; p = 0.046); at 24 months, rates of efficacy failure became similar between the groups. At 12 months, the everolimus group had significantly reduced incidences of deltaFEV1 >15%, deltaFEV1 >15% with BOS, and acute rejection. At 24 months, only incidence of acute rejection remained significantly less in the everolimus group. Treatment discontinuations (particularly due to adverse events), serious adverse events and high serum creatinine values were more common with everolimus. For the first time, a drug has demonstrated significant slowing of loss in lung function, suggesting that patients kept on prolonged maintenance treatment with everolimus may benefit from replacing AZA with everolimus 3 months after lung transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Lung Transplantation Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. g.snell@alfred.org.au
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Snell
authors.forename: V G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Valentine
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vitulo
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Glanville
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: McGiffin
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Loyd
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aris
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sole
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hmissi
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pirron
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001989:Bronchiolitis Obliterans / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000068338:Everolimus; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D000068338:Everolimus; D001379:Azathioprine; D020123:Sirolimus