Background: Neurotoxicity side effects related to cyclosporine kinetics could lead to dysfunction of kidney graft and patient outcome after transplantation. The aim of this study was evidence-based pharmacotherapy of kidney transplant recipients and to investigate neurotoxic levels of Iminoral.
Materials and methods: The results of 2239 cyclosporine trough levels obtained from 743 patients were studied. Seventy-five adult kidney recipients who received Iminoral were studied for neurotoxicity symptoms. Demographic, clinical, hematology and biochemical data were recorded in d-base and analyzed using SPSS application for windows.
Results: The mean value related to cyclosporine C0 was 246.3 μg/l. In the 48% the signs of neurotoxicity such as tremor and headache were noted, but only in 9% the levels of cyclosporine C0 were >400 μg/l. Further studies on 75 patients showed that the incidence of neurotoxic side effects were as follows: Tremor in 35, headache in 24 and anxiety in 34 recipients of kidney. The prescribed drug regimens from the day of transplant in most patients were based on mycophenolic acid or cellcept, pulse therapy using methylprednisolone (daily from kidney transplant up to 3 days after transplant), cyclosporine or Iminoral plus other drugs related to each individual. Administrations of ganciclovir, thymoglobulin, clotrimazol and prednisolone were also distinguished with immunosuppressant-based therapy simultaneously.
Conclusion: Evidence-based study related to pharmacotherapy of Iminoral showed that clinical presentation related to neurotoxic side effects such as tremor, headache and anxiety might be due to many factors such as polypharmacy. Planning immunosuppression to individual patients based on programmed therapeutic Iminoral monitoring, avoiding polypharmacy in terms of removal or drug minimization and focusing on first week after transplant seem to be a realistic option.
Keywords: Cyclosporine; kidney; neurotoxicity; transplant.