title: Influence of methylprednisolone on plasma homocysteine levels in cadaveric renal transplant recipients.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate plasma homocysteine levels in renal transplant recipients in the course of steroid-based or steroid-free immunosuppression. Data from 32 patients were retrospectively analyzed according to the steroid immunosuppressive regimen. The 20 recipients on methylprednisolone (MP) plus cyclosporine (CyA) or tacrolimus (TRL) (n = 20) showed similar creatinine levels when compared with those on calcineurin inhibitors plus mycophenolate mofetil (MMF; n = 12), (1.6 +/- 1.5 vs 1.6 +/- 0.4 mg/dL; P = NS) but significantly higher total plasma homocysteine (tHcy) levels (28.5 +/- 12.5 vs 16.3 +/- 5.5 micromol/L; P < .05). No differences of tHcy levels have been observed when patients were analyzed according to CyA- or TRL-based immunosuppression regardless of MP or MMF associations. Our data suggest that recipients, particularly those on steroid-based immunosuppression, should receive homocysteine-lowering treatment early after transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Libetta
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sepe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zucchi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pisacco
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Portalupi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adamo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soccio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dal Canton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002102:Cadaver; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014019:Tissue Donors
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D006710:Homocysteine; D008775:Methylprednisolone