RESUMO
Abstract: The use of calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) after liver transplantation is associated with post-transplant nephrotoxicity. Conversion to mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) monotherapy improves renal function, but is related to graft rejection in some recipients. Our aim was to identify variables associated with rejection after conversion to MMF monotherapy. Conversion was attempted in 40 liver transplant recipients. Clinical variables were determined and peripheral mononuclear blood cells were immunophenotyped during a 12-month follow- up. Conversion was classified as successful (SC) if rejection did not occur during the follow-up. MMF conversion was successful with 28 patients (70%) and was associated with higher glomerular filtration rates at the end of study. It also correlated with increased time elapsed since transplantation, low baseline CNI levels (Tacrolimus ≤ 6.5 ng/mL or Cyclosporine ≤ 635 ng/mL) and lower frequency of tacrolimus use. The only clinical variable independently related to SC in multivariate analysis was low baseline CNI levels (p = 0.02, OR: 6.93, 95%, CI: 1.3-29.7). Mean baseline fluorescent intensity of FOXP3+ T cells was significantly higher among recipients with SC. In conclusion, this study suggests that baseline CNI levels can be used to identify recipients with higher probability of SC to MMF monotherapy. Clinicaltrials.gov identification: NCT01321112.
Assuntos
Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Idoso , Transplante de Fígado , Tacrolimo/administração & dosagem , Ciclosporina/administração & dosagem , Inibidores de Calcineurina/administração & dosagem , Rejeição de Enxerto/prevenção & controle , Sobrevivência de Enxerto/efeitos dos fármacos , Imunossupressores/administração & dosagem , Ácido Micofenólico/administração & dosagem , Fatores de Tempo , Fatores de Transcrição/imunologia , Esquema de Medicação , Linfócitos T/imunologia , Distribuição de Qui-Quadrado , Razão de Chances , Análise Multivariada , Estudos Prospectivos , Fatores de Risco , Transplante de Fígado/efeitos adversos , Resultado do Tratamento , Tacrolimo/efeitos adversos , Monitoramento de Medicamentos/métodos , Ciclosporina/efeitos adversos , Quimioterapia Combinada , Inibidores de Calcineurina , Rejeição de Enxerto/imunologia , Imunossupressores/efeitos adversos , Rim/efeitos dos fármacos , Rim/fisiopatologia , Ácido Micofenólico/efeitos adversosRESUMO
Experimental data and few clinical non-randomized studies have shown that inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) associated or not with the use of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) could delay or even halt the progression of chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN). In this retrospective historical study, we investigated whether ACE inhibition (ACEI) associated or not with the use of MMF has the same effect in humans as in experimental studies and what factors are associated with a clinical response. A total of 160 transplant patients with biopsy-proven CAN were enrolled. Eighty-one of them were on ACE therapy (G1) and 80 on ACEI_free therapy (G2). Patients were further stratified for the use of MMF. G1 patients showed a marked decrease in proteinuria and stabilized serum creatinine with time. Five-year graft survival after CAN diagnosis was more frequent in G1 (86.9 vs 67.7 percent; P < 0.05). In patients on ACEI-free therapy, the use of MMF was associated with better graft survival. The use of ACEI therapy protected 79 percent of the patients against graft loss (OR = 0.079, 95 percentCI = 0.015-0.426; P = 0.003). ACEI and MMF or the use of MMF alone after CAN diagnosis conferred protection against graft loss. This finding is well correlated with experimental studies in which ACEI and MMF interrupt the progression of chronic allograft dysfunction and injury. The use of ACEI alone or in combination with MMF significantly reduced proteinuria and stabilized serum creatinine, consequently improving renal allograft survival.