Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6
pubmed:dateCreated
1998-6-30
pubmed:abstractText
Maintenance of adequate immunosuppression and avoidance of side-effects are the goals of long-term management of all organ-transplanted patients. We here report the final results of a prospective, randomized trial comparing early cyclosporine monotherapy versus double-drug therapy (cyclosporine and steroids) in adult liver transplantation patients. One hundred four patients were randomized 3 months after transplantation either to continue (Group I = 50 patients) or to stop steroids (Group II = 54 patients). Patients on a double-drug regimen were maintained long term on methylprednisolone at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg/d. Target cyclosporine trough levels were between 150 and 250 ng/mL in both groups. Our main points of interest were the prevalence of acute and chronic rejections and steroid-related side-effects in the two groups of patients. Mean follow-up was 41 +/- 16 months (range, 4-68 months). Patient actuarial survival 2 and 5 years after randomization was similar in the two groups (82% vs. 83% and 82% vs. 77%). The prevalence of acute rejections after randomization was, respectively, 8% and 4%. A single episode of chronic rejection was observed only in a patient on long-term steroid therapy. Side-effects of steroid therapy were less frequent in patients weaned off steroids, and when considering hypertension and diabetes, the differences between the two groups were statistically significant. Early cyclosporine monotherapy is a safe undertaking in liver transplantation because it allows a significant reduction of steroid-related side-effects without increasing the risk of acute and chronic rejection. After 5 years, patient survival was similar in patients with or without steroids.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
0270-9139
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
27
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1524-9
pubmed:dateRevised
2004-11-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1998
pubmed:articleTitle
Early cyclosporine monotherapy in liver transplantation: a 5-year follow-up of a prospective, randomized trial.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Medicine Crespi, Ospedale Niguarda, Milan, Italy.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Clinical Trial, Randomized Controlled Trial