Objective To study the clinical monitoring of tacrolimus (FK506) area under the curve (AUC) of concentration-time after the first oral dose in kidney transplant recipients. Methods Sixteen kidney transplant recipients were treated with anti-lymphocyte globulin (ALG) and methyprednisolone (MP) for 3 days after operation.Then FK506 capsules were given orally at the same dose,0.075 mg/kg,on the third day.The pharmacokinetic monitoring of FK506 were conducted as follows.FK506 concentrations were measured by ELISA at 0.5,1.0,1.5,2.0,3.0,5.0,8.0,12.0 hours after the first oral dose. The data of FK506 pharmacokinetics were calculated using 3P87 pharmacokinetic procedures and SPSS 8.0. Results AUC of concentration-time of the first dose ranged from 44.40 ?g?h -1 ?L -1 to 158.01 ?g?h -1 ?L -1 (mean, 92.23?34.97 ?g?h -1 ?L -1 ). The correlation between the first tacrolimus trough concentration (C min ) and AUC had statistic significance ( r=0.650,P

Objective To observe the effect of tacrolimus vs cyclosporin A on liver function after kidney transplantation. Methods Seventy-three cases of HBV carriers received kidney transplantation. Their liver functions before operation were normal and HBV DNA was negative. After operation they were divided into two groups: FK506 group (n=40) taking FK506, mycofenolate mofetil (MMF) and prednisone to prevent rejection. CsA group (n=33) taking CsA, MMF and prednisone to prevent rejection. The cases were followed for 1 to 6 years. The incidence of liver function admage and HBV DNA positive rate were observed in two groups. When damage to liver function appeared, the doses of immunosuppresive drugs were regulated, and the drugs protecting liver function were given. Results Four cases ( 10.0 % ) in FK506 group and 16 cases ( 48.5 %) in CsA group suffered the damage to liver function. In 2 cases ( 5.0 %) of FK506 group and 9 cases ( 27.3 %) of CsA group, HBV-DNA transferred to positive (P

Objective To study the feasibility and safety of horseshoe kidney transplantation and avoid the waste of the donor kidney. Methods The horseshoe kidney was identified and confirmed during the organ procurement process. It was perfused in situ and procured en bloc. With an appropriate dissection and reconstruction on the beach table, the horseshoe kidney was carefully divided at the isthmus and transplanted into two separate recipients. The surgical strategies and postoperative outcomes of transplanting the cadaveric horseshoe kidneys were evaluated. Results Two recipients had a immediate return of renal function after the blood vessels were opened. One recipient had a normal renal function presented as lower post-transplant serum creatinine values with a follow-up of 12 months. There was no complications related to the horseshoe kidney. Another case died of infection 1.5 month later after the transplantation. Conclusions Cadaveric horseshoe kidney may be transplanted successfully using various individual technical strategies based on the specific renal anatomy. Considering the lack of donor horseshoe kidney transplantation is feasible and safe.

Objective To compare the long-term effect and safety between tacrolimus (FK506) and cyclosporine (CsA) in patients receiving cadaveric renal transplantation. Method A total of 210 patients were randomized to FK506 and CsA after cadaveric renal transplantation, and were followed up for 12-32 months for the variation of trough concentration in whole blood, the incidence of acute rejection and chronic rejection, one-year survival rate of patient/graft, variation of creatinine level, impairment of liver function and glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism, incidence of infection, and side effects. Results The variation of trough concentration of FK506 was similar to CsA. The incidence of acute rejection was significantly lower in FK506 group than in CsA group ( 16.3 % vs 33.0 % , P 0.05 ). The incidence of impaired liver function and impaired lipid metabolism and gingivitis and creatinine level three months after transplantation were significantly lower in FK506 group than in CsA group ( P

Objective To study the clinical efficacy and safety of rapamycin in combination with CsA and steroid to prevent the acute rejection of kidney transplantation. Methods In an open-label,multi-center study,there were 100 primary renal allograft recipients with cadaveric donors enrolled from 4 transplantation centers in China. The immunosuppressive regimen was the triple therapy of rapamycin in combination with CsA and steriod. Rapamycin was administered in 48 h after grafting. The first dose of rapamycin was 6 mg /day and the maintenance dose was 2 mg /day. Results Eighty-four recipients were followed up for more than 6 months. Rapamycin was discontinued in 16 patients because of the adverse events and other reasons. Eight patients experienced acute rejection and 7 patients were reversed by methyprednisolon therapy. In 6 of the 7 patients,the dose of rapamycin was maintained 2 mg /day. The remaining one was added to 3 mg /day. No recurrence of AR was observed in a continuous follow-up of more than half-year. The most common and significant adverse events were hyperlipoidemia and abnormal liver function.Conclusions The combination of rapamycin with CsA and steroid to treat recipients of kidney transplantation is safe and efficient. There was a low incidence of AR but a high incidence of hyperlipoidemia and abnormal liver function. The rational regulation of the dose may reduce the incidence of the side-effects. Further observation and study are required for long-term application.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of rapamycin in the treatment of malignancies after kidney transplantation (KT).Methods Of the 23 inoperable patients with malignancies after KT, 8 (RPM group) received Rapamycin as treatment as well as there immunosuppressive regimens were modulated, and the remaining 15 (non-RPM group) were treated only by immunosuppressive regimen modulation, some of whom also received chemotherapy. The survival of the patients in the two groups was compared.Results In RPM group, the median survival time was (14.5) months and no acute rejection (AR) occurred during whole follow-up period. There are still 7 patients alive at the end of this study. One recipient with Kaposi’s sarcoma developed AR because of RPM dose reduction, and finally died of transplanted kidney failure and pulmonary infection. In non-RPM group, the median survival time was (3.0) months, and all of them died during the follow-up period. The 12- and 20-month survival rates were respectively (75.0) % and (37.5) % in RPM group, while (7.1) % and 0 in non-RPM group with the difference being statistically significant (P

Objective To investigate the therapeutic role of glucocorticoid in treating cytomegalovirus (CMV) severe pneumonia after kidney transplantation. Methods Two groups of patients with CMV severe pneumonia after kidney transplantation were analyzed. The therapeutics for 12 patients of group A included the elimination of immunosuppressive agents such as cyclosporine (or tacrolimus) and cellcept, the use of antiviral drug such as gancyclovir, measures to prevent and cure other bacterial and fungal infections, supportive therapies and suck of oxygen or mechanical ventilation by respirators. Except for the above therapies, methylprednisolone was routinely injected to those 14 patients of group B. At the beginning, the dose of methylprednisolone was 120 mg/day to 150 mg/day. Three to five days later, the dose was decreased to 80 mg/day. The dose was further decreased to 40 mg/day when patients’ signs were improved. After patients’ signs were excluded, prednisone was taken orally in place of methylprednisolone. In our patients, methylprednisolone was used for average 12 days, ranging from 8 to 21 days. Results Among the patients of group A, 9 (75 %) were treated with mechanical ventilation by respirators, 7 ( 58.33 %) died and 2 ( 16.67 %) received dialysis due to dysfunction of the transplanted kidneys. Among the patients of group B, 4 ( 28.57 %) were treated with mechanical ventilation by respirators, 2 ( 14.29 %) died and no case with the transplanted kidney loss was found. There were significant differences between the two groups on the probability of using mechanical ventilation by respirators and the mortality (P= 0.047 and P= 0.038 respectively). In the patients of group B, no severe side effects caused by methylprednisolone were found. Conclusion The treatment with proper dose of methylprednisolone may extenuate effectively the inflammatory reaction from the CMV severe pneumonia after kidney transplantation while reduce the rejection related to the absence of other immunosuppressants and decrease the mortality and the rate of transplanted kidney loss.

Objective To investigate the diagnosis and treatment of vascular complications after allograft kidney transplantation.Methods The clinical data of 34 patients with vascular complications after renal allograft transplantation were retrospectively studied,and the characteristics,diagnosis and therapeutics were analyzed.Results Among the 34 patients,there were 13 cases of allograft renal(artery) obstruction,8 cases of allograft renal artery hemorrhage,7 cases of arterial anastomosis(rupture),4 cases of allograft renal vein obstruction,1 case of external iliac artery aneurysm and 1 case of external iliac vein thrombosis.Diagnosis was made in 21 patients by color Doppler flow imaging(CDFI),among whom 10 received further examination of magnetic resonance angiography(MRA).In the 5 cases of allograft renal artery stenosis(TRAS),3 came out with well renal function after the placement of endovascular stents.During the follow-up duration of 8,10 and 14 months,their serum creatinine(Scr) maintained between 115 and 135 ?mol/L.TRAS patient's allograft renal artery which had been anastomosed end-to-end with internal iliac artery was shifted to end-to-side style with(external) iliac artery at the second time,and came out with normal Scr one month postoperation.One TRAS patient received conservative treatment because MRA examination indicated only mild stenosis,and his Scr has been decreasing for 21 days till now.Three patients with allograft renal vein(obstruction) was treated with surgery,in whom one died of heart failure,and the other 2 patients'(renal) function recovered well during the follow-up of respectively 13 and 36 months.One patient with external iliac vein thrombus died of allograft rupture.All the other patients underwent allograft(resection).Conclusion Vascular complications after renal transplantation progresses fast once(developed) with a poor prognosis,so early diagnosis is essential for graft as well as survival and(effective) management should be administrated accordingly.CDFI could be the first choose for screening.

Objective To examine the levels of CD38+CD8+ T lymphocyte in kidney transplant recipients with cytomegalovirus infection and investigate the possibility in monitoring the cytomegalovirus active infection after kidney transplantation. Methods Before and after kidney transplantation, CD38+ CD8+T lymphocyte and cytomegalovirus leucocyte antigen were measured respectively by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry method in 56 transplant recipients. The data of CD38+CD8+ T lymphocyte and the cylomegalovirus leucocyte antigen were analyzed. Results Before kidney transplantation, cytomegalovirus leucocyte antigen was negative among all the patients, while the mean ratio of (CD38+CD8+)/CD8+ was 0. 11?0. 05. In 14 recipients whose cytomegalovirus leucocyte antigen was positive, the appearing time of the positive antigen was(32. 7?16. 6) days of post-transplantation, meanwhile, the mean ratio of (CD38+ CD8+)/CD8+ was 0. 43?0. 21 (29. 6?8. 4) days of post-transplantation, which was significantly higher than that of pre-transplantation. After the treatment with ganciclovir intravenously, the cytomegalovirus leucocyte antigen became negative and the mean ratio of (CD38+CD8+)/CD8+ decreased to 0. 16?0.09 which was significantly lower than that of pre-treatmmt ( P

Objective To discuss and analyze the CT appearances and differential diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculomas. Methods 40 cases of pulmonary tuberculomas proved by surgery and pathology were included in the study and compared to 40 cases of peripheral-type bronchogenic carcinomas, which were also surgico-pathologically proved. Results Tuberculomas were most found in the posterior segments of the lung and exhibited well-demarcated lesions of homogeneous density. Some lesions also possessed characteristics like rough spiculation, minute calcification within the lesion and marginal calcification. Thick-walled, thin-walled or stellate cavities were also found. On contrast enhanced scans, tuberculomas showed little or ring enhancement. In addition, satelite lesions or pleural thickening were often found near the tuberculomas. Hilar and mediastinal lymph-nodes were calcified but not enlarged. Anti-tuberbulosis therapy often resulted in little or even no absorption.Conclusion More accurate diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculomas could be made after careful analysis of all CT signs and the clinical data. CT-guided needle biopsy could be used when the dignosis could not be made clearly.