FK 506 for liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation

TE Starzl, J Fung, R Venkataramman, S Todo… - The Lancet, 1989 - Elsevier
TE Starzl, J Fung, R Venkataramman, S Todo, AJ Demetris, A Jain
The Lancet, 1989Elsevier
FK 506 was given for immunosuppression in 14 liver recipients. The drug was used in the
first 10 cases because the recipients under conventional immunosuppression had rejection,
nephrotoxicity, or both. This salvage therapy was successful in 7 of the 10 attempts. 2 of the
10 patients in the original salvage group as well as 4 new patients underwent fresh
orthotopic liver transplantation under FK 506 plus low-dose steroids from the outset. None of
these 6 patients had rejection although 1 with preexisting cor pulmonale and coronary …
Abstract
FK 506 was given for immunosuppression in 14 liver recipients. The drug was used in the first 10 cases because the recipients under conventional immunosuppression had rejection, nephrotoxicity, or both. This salvage therapy was successful in 7 of the 10 attempts. 2 of the 10 patients in the original salvage group as well as 4 new patients underwent fresh orthotopic liver transplantation under FK 506 plus low-dose steroids from the outset. None of these 6 patients had rejection although 1 with preexisting cor pulmonale and coronary atherosclerosis died of a myocardial infarction. In addition, 2 of the 14 liver recipients were given cadaveric kidneys, either from the same donor or from a different donor, and a third was given a pancreas as well as a kidney from the liver donor. There were no rejections of the kidney and pancreas grafts, and serious side-effects were not encountered.
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