INCIDENCE OF NEW-ONSET HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA IN RENAL-TRANSPLANT PATIENTS TREATED WITH FK506 OR CYCLOSPORINE

In this study, we compare cholesterol levels during the first year aft er renal transplantation in FK506 (Prograf)- and cyclosporine-treated patients matched for cumulative first-year steroid dose and hyperchole sterolemia risk factors, AU patients had pretransplant cholesterol lev els <200 mg/dl, At 3 months posttransplant, 68% of the cyclosporine-tr eated patients had at least one cholesterol level greater than 200 mg/ dl compared with 30% of the FK506-treated patients (P<0.05). At the en d of the year, 26% of FK506- and 67% of cyclosporine-treated patients remained hypercholesterolemic (P<0.05). We conclude that cyclosporine has inherently more effect on cholesterol levels than FK506 during the first year after kidney transplantation.