title: Conversion from sirolimus to everolimus in maintenance renal transplant recipients within a calcineurin inhibitor-free regimen: results of a 6-month pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide data on conversion of kidney transplant patients from sirolimus to everolimus.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this 6-month prospective, open-label pilot study, maintenance renal transplant patients receiving sirolimus, mycophenolic acid and corticosteroids without concomitant calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) therapy were converted to everolimus 8 mg/day (8 - 15 ng/ml), and followed for 6 months. Mycophenolic acid and corticosteroid therapy were continued unchanged. Patients with acute rejection within the previous 3 months were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  11 patients were recruited and completed the study (mean 5.1 +/- 1.8 years post transplant). Mean everolimus trough level remained within target throughout the study. Mean GFR remained stable (Day 0, 48.4 +/- 8.4 ml/min/1.73 m2, Month 6, 49.5 +/- 17.3 ml/ min/1.73 m2 (p = 0.966), as did mean renal phosphate threshold (TmPO4/GFR) (Day 0, 0.41 +/- 0.15 mmol/l, Month 6, 0.40 +/- 0.17 mmol/l (p = 0.966)). Serum phosphates increased significantly from 0.71 to 0.77 mmol/l (p = 0.01), but tubular reabsorption of phosphates and 24-h phosphaturia remained unchanged and mean PTH concentration tended to decrease. No patient died, lost their graft or experienced biopsy-proven acute rejection after conversion. There were no cases of CMV infection. Tolerability remained similar post conversion. Hematological and lipid parameters remained stable. Liver enzymes and sex hormones remained within normal ranges.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study suggests that converting kidney transplant patients receiving CNI-free maintenance immunosuppression from sirolimus to everolimus, at relatively high exposure levels, is safe and easily manageable. There was no consistent evidence for a change in GFR or proximal tubular function.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, Dialysis and Multi-Organ Transplantation, CHU Rangueil, Toulouse Cedex 4, France. kamar.n@chu-toulouse.fr
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kamar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jaafar
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ribes
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Durand
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di-Giambattista
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tack
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rostaing
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019703:Calcineurin / Q000276:immunology; D000068338:Everolimus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000068338:Everolimus; D019703:Calcineurin; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D020123:Sirolimus