title: Cyclosporine lymphocyte maximum level monitoring in de novo kidney transplant patients: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine prospectively the temporal variations of cyclosporine-A lymphocyte maximum level, whole blood maximum concentration, and total lymphocyte count in patients with de novo kidney transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lymphocyte maximum level, whole blood maximum concentration, and total lymphocyte count were prospectively measured in 35 patients at 1, 2, and 3 months after kidney transplantation. Two groups--a biopsy-proven acute rejection group (REJ+) and a rejection-free group (REJ-)--were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups had similar lymphocyte maximum levels, whole blood maximum concentrations, and total lymphocyte counts at the first month after transplantation. REJ+ patients had significantly lower lymphocyte maximum levels at 2 and 3 months (59+/-34 and 33+/-9 pg/Lc) and higher total lymphocyte counts (0.00204+/-0.00078x10(9)/L and 0.00203+/-0.00022x10(9)/L) when compared with their REJ- counterparts (87+/-56 and 63+/-30 pg/Lc, P<.05 and P<.007) and (0.00137+/-0.00074x10(9)/L and 0.0015+/-0.0006x10(9)/L, P<.02 and P<.003) respectively. Whole blood maximum concentrations were significantly higher in patients in the REJ+ group (2050+/-623 vs 1414+/-536 ng/mL, P<.02) at 2 months. At 3 months, the 2 groups were comparable (1158+/-340 vs 1365+/-525 ng/mL, P=NS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that acute rejection is associated with a relatively low cyclosporine- A lymphocyte maximum level and high total lymphocyte count in the early posttransplant period. Cyclosporine-A whole blood maximum concentration failed to correlate with clinical outcome. Cyclosporine-A lymphocyte maximum level seems to offer a more reliable alternative than does whole blood maximum concentration for cyclosporine-A monitoring in patients with kidney transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Transplantation Unit, Rizk Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon. lird@cyberia.net.lb
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Barbari
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Masri
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Stephan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: El Ghoul
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rizk
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mourad
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Kamel
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Kilani
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Karam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015166:Monitoring, Immunologic; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine