ABSTRACT Immunosuppressive agents have revolutionized clinical transplantation medicine, allowing the avoidance of immune system attack on the transplanted graft. Nevertheless, the use of medications such as cyclosporine, tacrolimus and others also brought the side effects of these drugs. Early identification of drug-induced neurotoxicity in transplanted patients and of its specific causes is i...

N Engl J Med 2004;351:2715-29. Copyright © 2004 Massachusetts Medical Society. he central issue in organ transplantation remains suppression of allograft rejection. Thus, development of immunosuppressive drugs is the key to successful allograft function. Immunosuppressive agents are used for induction (intense immunosuppression in the initial days after transplantation), maintenance, and revers...

Mechanical circulatory support has been used to treat graft failure after heart transplantation, but in patients who needed mechanical circulatory support because of chronic rejection, we have suffered from the treatment because its outcome was catastrophic. Multiple organ failure was often caused by the addition of or increase in immunosuppressive medications, and it is known as a cause of the...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Many pediatric rheumatology patients are at increased risk of pneumococcal disease secondary to a deficient immune system and/or immunosuppressive medications. The goal of this study was to improve pneumococcal vaccination rates in this high-risk population. METHODS Eligible patients included children at least 2 years old and adults with systemic lupus erythematosus a...

Considerable economic and health-related costs are associated with the life-long maintenance immunosuppressive therapy required to prevent transplant rejection. Generic medications have the potential of providing equivalent therapeutic efficacy at a lower economic cost. In 2001, the American Society of Transplantation invited experts to review the data and issues associated with the approval an...

Non-melanoma skin cancers represent a major cause of morbidity after organ transplantation. Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) are the most common cutaneous malignancies seen in this population, with a 65-100 fold greater incidence in organ transplant recipients compared to the general population. In recent years, human papillomaviruses (HPV) of the beta genus have been implicated in the pathogenes...

Management of lupus nephritis is relatively nonspecific and includes various immunosuppressive drugs, cytotoxic agents and other modalities directed against the aberrant immune response. Treatment decisions are influenced by the clinical features, histology, response to treatment, relapses, patient consent and tolerance to medications. Guidelines based on available evidence, as to how best to m...

Paediatric patients who have undergone an organ transplant face risks associated with different infectious diseases. Their susceptibility is increased by treatment with immunosuppressive medications. More of these patients are being cared for in community settings. This practice point provides guidance on key aspects in the prevention and treatment common infections.

Abstract. Here, we present the second report of the histopathology of a Taenia solium calcification giving rise to perilesional edema. This has important implications, because if perilesional edema lesions are inflammatory in character, immunosuppressive or anti-inflammatory medications, not just antiepileptic drugs alone, may be useful to prevent or treat recurring episodes in such patients.