Pazdernik M, Malek I, Koudelkova E, Sochman J, Kautzner J. Bone marrow suppression and associated consequences in patients after heart transplantation: A 6-year retrospective review.
Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub 2015;
159:372-7. [PMID:
26000773 DOI:
10.5507/bp.2015.022]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 04/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS
To evaluate the incidence of bone marrow suppression and consequences of MMF dose adjustment in patients within the first year after heart transplantation.
METHODS
Group I (n=47) was treated with a regimen currently used in patients after heart transplantation (mycophenolatemofetil - MMF, valganciclovir - VGC and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole - TMP-SMX). Group II (n=47) received only MMF of potentially myelotoxic medications. The myelotoxic effect and need for dose modification were assessed. The incidence of rejections and infectious episodes associated with MMF adjustment were analyzed during the first 12 months in Group I.
RESULTS
There was a significantly greater proportion of patients with leukopenia (leukocyte count < 4 x 10^9/L) at 3 months after orthotopic heart transplantation in Group I compared with Group II (19.1% vs 2.1%; P = 0.02). The difference in lymphopenia (lymphocyte count < 0.8 x 10^9/L) at 3 months follow-up was highly significant (38.3 % vs 6.4 %; P = 0.0002). MMF was modified due to bone marrow suppression or severe infection in 63.8% patients in Group I and in only 8.5% of patients in Group II (P < 0.001). Reducing or stopping MMF was not associated with increased rejections. In Group I, at least 1 episode of higher degree cellular or humoral rejection occurred in 35% of patients with the standard MMF dosage compared with only 26% in patients with modified MMF (P = 0.0534).
CONCLUSIONS
Addition of VGC+TMP-SMX to current immunosuppressive medication regimen in patients after heart transplantation is associated with significant lymphocytopenia and leukopenia. Importantly, modification of immunosuppressive prophylaxis (reducing or stopping MMF) leads to normalization of blood count without increased incidence of rejections.
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