Conversion from cyclosporine A to tacrolimus in pediatric kidney transplant recipients with chronic rejection: Changes in the immune responses

Abstract

Tacrolimus (Tac) has immunosuppressant properties similar to those of cyclosporine A (CsA), but it is more potent. At present, however, its immunosuppressive activity in renal transplant recipients with ongoing chronic rejection has not been clarified. We studied changes in kidney function, mixed lymphocyte culture, cell-mediated lympholysis, cytotoxic antibodies, lymphocyte population, and cytokine response before and after the conversion from CsA to Tac in 14 pediatric renal transplant recipients with chronic rejection. CsA (5.9±0.2 mg/kg/d) was replaced by Tac (0.1±0.004 mg/kg/d). Serum creatinine decreased (2.3±0.2–1.9±0.2 mg/dL, P 2 Our data indicate that conversion from CsA to Tac therapy leads to an improvement in renal function without altering key elements of the immunosuppression in children with ongoing chronic rejection.