title: Tacrolimus related hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in liver transplant recipients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently there are a number of reports on the cardiotoxicity of tacrolimus in post-transplant patients. There is no protocol for cardiovascular evaluation in these patients. This study was performed to evaluate the cardiotoxicity of tacrolimus in liver transplant recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 63 post-liver transplant patients who received tacrolimus. They were evaluated for cardiovascular complications by physical examination, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic examinations within three and six months following liver transplantation. Serum tacrolimus levels were checked by ELISA. For comparison, we selected 50 post-liver transplant patients who received no tacrolimus and evaluated them for cardiovascular function identically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 63 patients, 42 were male (66.7%) and 21 were female (33.3%); 70% of the patients were adults, and 19 (30%) were within the pediatric age group. The cardiovascular examinations, electrocardiogram and echocardiography of all patients three months post-transplantation were normal except for two children who developed tacrolimus related cardiac complications. Both had high serum tacrolimus levels. No adults developed cardiovascular complications. In the control group, the results of the cardiovascular evaluations were normal in all cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cardiovascular toxicity of tacrolimus, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, may be observed in pediatric patients. Therefore, we recommend routine regular cardiovascular evaluation of children after liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Transplant Research Center, Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. dehghanism@sums.ac.ir
authors.forename: Seyed Mohsen
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Dehghani
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haghighat
authors.forename: Mohammad Hadi
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Imanieh
authors.forename: Mozhgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zahmatkeshan
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borzooei
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amoozegar
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zamirian
authors.forename: Siavash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gholami
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahador
authors.forename: Saman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nikeghbalian
authors.forename: Heshmatollah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Salahi
authors.forename: Seyed Ali
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Malek-Hosseini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016559:Tacrolimus