title: Comparison of MMF with prednisone in terms of rejection and duration of activity of transplant in rabbits that underwent retroperitoneal heterotopic heart transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and methylprednisolone (MP) were compared in terms of rejection and duration of activity of the transplant in New Zealand rabbits that underwent retroperitoneal heart transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retroperitoneal heart transplantation was performed in New Zealand white rabbits. The animals were divided into two groups. MMF group (group 1) (10 donors, 10 recipients): 12.5 mg/kg MMF was administered orally for two days prior to the surgery; MP group (group 2) (nine donors, nine recipients): 2 mg/kg MP was administered intramuscularly for two days prior to the surgery. After the operation, we waited until all motor activity in the transplanted heart had stopped. The transplant was then removed and the recipient was sacrificed. A donor in the MP group was excluded since it died before the motor activity had stopped.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of rejection score (p = 0.865). However, duration of motor activity was found to be statistically significantly longer in the MMF group, compared to the MP group (p = 0.013).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this experimental study, MMF was similar to MP in terms of rejection but had better efficacy in terms of duration of motor activity of the transplant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Mevlana University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Faith
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aygün
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mevlana University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Duran
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Efe
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Durgut
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023421:Models, Animal; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D008775:Methylprednisolone