TRIMETAZIDINE DOES NOT MODIFY BLOOD-LEVELS AND IMMUNOSUPPRESSANT EFFECTS OF CYCLOSPORINE-A IN RENAL-ALLOGRAFT RECIPIENTS

Aims In renal allograft recipients, trimetazidine (Vastarel(R)) was pr oposed to be associated with the classic immunosuppressant treatments because it displays antiischaemic effects which may protect against cy closporine A nephrotoxicity. The objective of this work was to assess the possibility of coadministering cyclosporin A, Sandimmun(R), and tr imetazidine. Methods Twelve renal transplant patients were selected on the basis of the stability of their cyclosporine A blood concentratio ns for the previous 3 months. They received trimetazidine, 40 mg twice daily orally for 5 days. Other coadministered drugs were kept unchang ed during the study. Before and after trimetazidine administration, cy closporine A blood concentrations, plasma interleukin-2 and soluble in terleukin-2 receptor levels were measured. Results The data showed tha t neither cyclosporin A blood pharmacokinetic parameters, Cmax, t(max) , AUC, nor the concentrations of interleukin-2 and soluble interleukin -2 receptors were significantly modified. Conclusions Therefore, it wa s suggested that trimetazidine may be coadministered with cyclosporine A without cyclosporine A dosage adjustment.