Invasive Fungal Infections in Liver Transplant Recipients Receiving Tacrolimus as the Primary Immunosuppressive Agent

Invasive fungal infections and their risk factors were prospectively assessed in 130 consecutive liver transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus as the primary immunosuppressive agent. Eleven percent (14) of the 130 patients had 17 episodes of invasive fungal infections. These included candidiasis (5%; 6 patients), cryptococcosis (5%; 6), aspergillosis (3%; 4), and chromomycosis (1%; 1). An elevated pretransplantation creatinine level, requirement of dialysis (pretransplantation or posttransplantation), duration of intensive care unit stay after transplantation surgery, and antibiotic use (other than for prophylaxis) within 4 weeks of transplantation were significant risk factors for fungal infections occurring within 100 days of transplantation. For fungal infections occurring after 100 days, persistence of renal dysfunction (serum creatinine level of >2.5 mg/dL at 3 months), dialysis, and histopathologically documented recurrence of hepatitis C virus hepatitis were significant risk factors. Mortality was significantly higher among patients with fungal infections than among all other patients (57% vs. 15%; P = .0009). Our study identified specific risk factors for invasive fungal infections in liver transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus; strategies to prevent fungal infections or to initiate early antifungal therapy might be most effectively targeted at these patients.