LACK OF EFFECT OF GEMFIBROZIL ON CYCLOSPORINE BLOOD-CONCENTRATIONS INKIDNEY-TRANSPLANTED PATIENTS

Forty kidney-transplanted patients with hypertriglyceridemia, under tr eatment with cyclosporine alone or associated with other immunosuppres sive drugs, were treated with gemfibrozil. This drug, for a long-term treatment (ranging from 4 to 6 months), was able to decrease hypertrig lyceridemia and did not modify either polyclonal (P) and monoclonal (M ) cyclosporine blood levels or P/M ratio. These data seem to exclude a n effect of gemfibrozil on cyclosporine blood concentrations. Therefor e, the use of gemfibrozil in kidney-transplanted patients does not req uire modifications of cyclosporine dose.