Efficacy and safety of tacrolimus treatment for rheumatoid arthritis patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by progressive joint destruction that requires aggressive treatment using appropriate disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). RA patients with renal failure, however, are intolerant to most DMARDs due to the potential toxicity. In Japan, tacrolimus was approved for the treatment of RA in 2005. Based on its pharmacokinetics, tacrolimus may be administered to the patients undergoing hemodialysis. We report two cases of RA patients on hemodialysis treated effectively and safely with tacrolimus.