Conversion from a calcineurin inhibitor to everolimus therapy in maintenance liver transplant recipients: a prospective, randomized, multicenter trial.
Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) contribute to renal dysfunction following liver transplantation. This prospective, randomized, multicenter, 6-month study (with an additional 6 months of follow-up) evaluated whether everolimus with CNI reduction or discontinuation would improve renal function in maintenance liver transplant recipients experiencing CNI-related renal impairment. Patients started everolimus therapy with CNI reduction or discontinuation (n = 72) or continued receiving standard-exposure CNI (n = 73). At month 6, 80% of the patients who had converted to everolimus had discontinued the CNI. The mean change in creatinine clearance (CrCl) from baseline to month 6 was similar between groups (everolimus, 1.0 +/- 10.2 mL/minute; controls, 2.3 +/- 7.8 mL/minute; P = 0.46), so the primary study endpoint (8 mL/minute difference in the change in CrCl) was not achieved. Among patients who continued everolimus according to the protocol, the mean increase in CrCl was 2.1 (n = 53) and 3.8 mL/minute (n = 38) at months 6 and 12, respectively, versus 2.4 (n = 68) and 3.5 mL/minute in controls (n = 51). The high frequency of CNI dose reductions in controls (77% of the patients) and the relatively long mean time post-transplant (>3 years) likely contributed to the small difference in CrCl. Biopsy-proven acute rejection occurred in 1.4% of the patients in each group, with no graft losses. Study drug discontinuation was higher in everolimus-treated patients, and adverse events were more frequent. These data demonstrate that everolimus allows for discontinuation or a major reduction of CNI exposure in liver allograft recipients suffering CNI-related renal dysfunction without a loss of efficacy. Trials targeting earlier conversion post-transplantation are required to confirm the efficacy and safety of everolimus for improving renal function after liver transplantation.
De Simone
Paolo
P
Liver Transplantation Department, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy. p.desimone@ao-pisa.toscana.it
Metselaar
Herold J
HJ
Fischer
Lutz
L
Dumortier
Jérôme
J
Boudjema
Karim
K
Hardwigsen
Jean
J
Rostaing
Lionel
L
De Carlis
Luciano
L
Saliba
Faouzi
F
Nevens
Frederik
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D000068338:Everolimus; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000068338:Everolimus; D020123:Sirolimus