title: Incidence and treatment of lymphedema in heart transplant patients treated with everolimus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Proliferation signal inhibitors are increasingly used as immunosuppressive drugs in solid organ transplantation. Among their side effects peripheral lymphedema is rarely described in literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  All heart transplant patients treated with everolimus (de novo or maintenance) at our center (135 patients: age 50.72±11.1 y, 115 male) were retrospectively analyzed. We considered the incidence of adverse events, particularly the appearance of peripheral edema (13 patients, 9.6%), and the correlation with preoperative characteristics, concomitant medications, other possible causes of edema, as well as all the measures developed for its therapeutic treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Edema appearance, especially in lower limbs, was considered to be one of the most frequent side effects in heart transplant patients treated with everolimus. In some cases its regression was possible with an adjustment of drug dosages associated with diuretics and lymphatic drainage, but more often a suspension of the drug itself was required for complete regression of the symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Dept., Cittá della Salute e della Scienza, Universitá degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ribezzo
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Dept., Cittá della Salute e della Scienza, Universitá degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boffini
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Dept., Cittá della Salute e della Scienza, Universitá degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Dept., Cittá della Salute e della Scienza, Universitá degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barbero
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Dept., Cittá della Salute e della Scienza, Universitá degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bonato
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Dept., Cittá della Salute e della Scienza, Universitá degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Attisani
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Dept., Cittá della Salute e della Scienza, Universitá degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pasero
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Dept., Cittá della Salute e della Scienza, Universitá degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: mauro.rinaldi@unito.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
mesh_terms: D000068338:Everolimus; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015994:Incidence; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000068338:Everolimus; D020123:Sirolimus