Cyclosporine from twice to single daily dosing: impact on renal function, mortality, and graft loss

Nephrotoxicity of once-daily cyclosporine A in minimal change nephrotic syndrome

BACKGROUND

Although once-daily cyclosporine (CsA) therapy may have greater nephrotoxic-sparing effects than standard twice-daily therapy, little information is available in children with steroid-dependent minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) regarding histological analysis after long-term once-daily administration.

CASE-DIAGNOSIS/TREATMENT

A prospective study of the clinical efficacy and comparison between pre- and post-treatment renal biopsy findings in ten children (mean age, 8.8 years) with steroid-dependent MCNS who were administered once-daily CsA therapy for more than 24 months (mean ± SD, 30 ± 3.7) was performed in Saitama Children's Medical Center. Administration of once-daily CsA therapy (mean dose, 2.8 ± 0.6 mg/kg/day; mean C2 levels, 670 ± 64 ng/ml) resulted in a significant reduction in the median relapse rate from 4.6 to 0.2 times per year, and five patients did not experience a relapse of NS. Furthermore, mean threshold of prednisolone dose significantly reduced from 1.2 to 0.02 mg/kg on alternate days. However, two patients showed evidence of chronic CsA nephrotoxicity (CsAN).

CONCLUSIONS

Once-daily CsA therapy appears to be effective in children with steroid-dependent MCNS. However, follow-up renal biopsies should be performed to investigate the presence of CsAN after more than 24 months of treatment with once-daily regimen as well as with the conventional twice-daily regimen.

Long-term kidney transplant outcomes in patients receiving oil-based or microemulsion formulations of cyclosporine

In the last 20 years long-term experience with cyclosporine use in kidney transplantation has increased, allowing a more precise identification of its benefits.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of 1619 kidney transplants that received cyclosporine-based immunosuppressive therapy. Patients were divided into three groups (1) oil-based cyclosporine (SIM) with trough monitoring (GI, n=617); (2) microemulsion formulation (NEO) with trough monitoring (GII, n=962); and (3) NEO with C2 monitoring (GIII, n=40). Information was obtained on transplant demography; adjunctive immunosuppressive agent; living (LD) versus cadaveric (CAD) recipients; delayed graft function; any treated acute rejection; graft function at 3, 6, and 12 months, patient and graft survival, as well as causes of graft loss and death.

RESULTS

At 15 years follow-up, patient and graft survival were 67.5% and 41.6%, being superior, among LD versus CAD recipients (patient: 78.7% vs 57.7%, P<.001; graft: 56.4% vs 30.5%, P<.001). In LD (54% vs 32%, P<.001) and CAD (69% vs 55%, P<.001) NEO reduced the incidence of AR and improved 8-year patient (LD: 81.8% vs 94.7%; CAD: 66.4 vs 79.9%, P<.01) and graft survival (LD: 58.3 vs. 80%; CAD: 40.2% vs. 59.5%, P<.01), compared to SIM. Overall 8-year graft survival was inferior among patients with increased 1-year creatinine values (< or =1.5, 1.6-2.5 and >2.5 mg/dL) level (74% vs 63.9% vs 22.4%, P<.001) or change in Cr (< or =0.1, 0.2-0.4, >0.5 mg/dL) level (73.1% vs 61.9% vs 37.2%, P<.001). In patients at the same level of graft function, those receiving NEO showed superior 8-year patient and graft survival compared with SIM.

CONCLUSION

Compared to SIM, NEO reduced the incidence of acute rejection and produced superior long-term patient and graft survival.