title: A retrospective analysis of the safety and efficacy of low dose tacrolimus (FK506) for living donor liver transplant recipients.
abstract: We sought to evaluate the efficacy and effects of low-dose tacrolimus (FK506) to recipients with living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). A total of 66 patients who underwent LDLT between 2001 and 2007 were enrolled in this study. According to different doses of tacrolimus, the recipients were randomly divided into two groups: the low-dose tacrolimus group (group A) and the normal-dose tacrolimus group (group B). The blood concentration of tacrolimus and its side effects including infection, hyperglycemia, hypertension, high blood creatinine and jaundice were monitored once a week at the perioperative period, and once a month thereafter. Besides, the survival rates of the recipients were analyzed at the 1- and 3-year time point after operation. Among these patients, no significant acute rejection was detected after LDLT. The incidences of infection, hyperglycemia, liver dysfunction and renal impairment in group A were markedly lower than those in group B. However, no significant differences were detected in the incidence of hypertension between the two groups. Moreover, the recipients in each group had a similar survival rate according to the results of 1- and 3-year follow-up. The incidence of side effects that associated with tacrolimus positively correlated with tacrolimus blood concentration. In conclusion, long-term and low-dose administration of tacrolimus is a safe and effective treatment for LDLT recipients.
authors.affiliation: The Liver Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China;
authors.forename: Zhengshan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Qingyang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Yongxiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: You
keywords: living donor liver transplantation; low dose; side effect; survival rate; tacrolimus