Reduction of immunosuppressant therapy requirement in heart transplantation by calcitriol.

Abstract

Calcitriol has been shown to have immunomodulatory effects. We examined whether heart transplant recipients, randomly assigned to receive calcitriol to reduce bone loss, required less immunosuppressive therapy or demonstrated different rejection and survival outcomes. Patients receiving low-dose calcitriol required substantially lower cumulative doses of cyclosporin (29% [95% confidence interval; 8%-50%] and 28% [7%-50%] for 1 and 2 years, respectively) for organ rejection without any detectable change in episodes of rejection, infection, or deaths. This major reduction of oral cyclosporine requirement, in addition to the skeletal benefits of calcitriol in those receiving immunosuppressive therapy, indicates a potential role for co-therapy with calcitriol or its analogues in the management of patients with solid-organ transplantation.

• Authors: N Kathryn Briffa, Anne M Keogh, Philip N Sambrook, John A Eisman
• Journal: Transplantation (Transplantation) Vol. 75 Issue 12 Pg. 2133-4 (Jun 27 2003) ISSN: 0041-1337 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12829925 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Immunosuppressive Agents
• Cyclosporine
• Prednisolone
• Creatinine
• Calcitriol
• Calcium

Topics

• Bone Density (drug effects)
• Calcitriol (therapeutic use)
• Calcium (blood)
• Creatinine (blood)
• Cyclosporine (therapeutic use)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Heart Transplantation (immunology, physiology)
• Humans
• Immunosuppressive Agents (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Infections (epidemiology)
• Postoperative Complications (epidemiology)
• Prednisolone (therapeutic use)
• Retrospective Studies