Open AccessDoes the switch from Sandimmun to Sandimmun Neoral reduce patient need for Phenihydine?
Author(s) -
Rosental R.,
Adamsone I.,
Babarykin D.,
Amerika D.,
Pettersson E.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
transplant international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.998
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1432-2277
pISSN - 0934-0874
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-2277.1998.tb01150.x
Subject(s) - medicine , nephrotoxicity , intracellular , extracellular , pharmacology , nephrology , urology , endocrinology , kidney , biochemistry , chemistry
In patients receiving cyclosporine A (CyA) ‐ based immunosuppressive therapy, Ca 2+ channel blockers (CCBs) prevent the development of CyA ‐ related nephrotoxicity in which increased Ca 2+ content plays an important role. We evaluated the dynamics of the intracellular (erythrocytes) and extracellular (plasma) Ca 2+ levels and the influence of the CCB, Phenihydine, on this process during the conversion from Sandimmun (S) to Sandimmun Neoral (SN). Forty‐two patients were enrolled. The conversion from S to SN normalized the elevated CA 2+ level of erythrocytes in groups with Phenihydine ( n = 20) and without Phenyhidine ( n = 12) 4 weeks after the switch ( P < 0.05); this level remained stable until the end of study. Therefore we suggest that the switch from S to SN is effective in reducing elevated intracellular Ca 2+ levels. The decrease of Ca 2+ content in erythrocytes was similar in all groups switched to SN (with or without Phenihydine). The last effect should be an important argument to focus the further long‐term investigations on the ability of CCBs to act as cytoprotective and nephroprotective agents during immunosuppressive protocols with the new microemulsion formulation of CyA.