Late-onset tacrolimus-associated cerebellar atrophia in a heart transplant recipient.
Tacrolimus is a macrolide immunosuppressant frequently used after solid-organ transplantation. Moderate and severe neurologic side effects have been reported in patients receiving tacrolimus. Cerebral neurotoxicity is a rare but fatal calcineurin inhibitor-related complication, especially in kidney and liver transplant recipients. Often a reduction or a change in immunosuppressive regimen is the only means of clinical management. Herein we report a case of a 31-year-old man who developed cerebellar atrophia while under immunosuppressive therapy 9 years after heart transplantation. His neurologic constitution ameliorated after an immunosuppressant switch from tacrolimus to sirolimus.
Kaczmarek
I
I
Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany. ingo.kaczmarek@med.uni-muenchen.de
Schmauss
D
D
Sodian
R
R
Beiras-Fernandez
A
A
Oberhoffer
M
M
Daebritz
S
S
Schoenberg
S O
SO
Reichart
B
B
D000328:Adult; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D002527:Myoclonic Cerebellar Dyssynergia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016559:Tacrolimus