Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, Vol 12, Issue 4 748-752, Copyright © 1997 by Oxford University Press
M Clodi, H Kotzmann, M Riedl, A Schmidt, U Barnas, F Muhlbacher, G Mustafa, WH Horl, W Waldhausl, G Mayer and A Luger
BACKGROUND: Acute rejection is an important risk factor for kidney graft
loss. As evidence suggests that prolactin has important immunostimulatory
properties, we conducted a randomized, prospective open trial in which
bromocriptine, a drug suppressing prolactin secretion, was administered as
an additive immunosuppressive drug after first cadaver kidney
transplantation. METHODS: In the treatment group bromocriptine was given
intramuscularly to 22 patients after their first kidney transplantation
along with conventional immunosuppression (cyclosporin A, glucocorticoids).
Twenty-three patients receiving only conventional immunosuppression served
as control subjects. The incidence of acute graft rejections, graft losses,
and infections was evaluated. RESULTS: Serum prolactin concentrations were
slightly elevated above normal values before transplantation (32 +/- 5.3
ng/ml) and decreased to values between 13 and 16 ng/ml in the control group
and were totally suppressed in the bromocriptine group. After 6 months of
follow-up overall patient and allograft survival was 97.7% and 91%
respectively. Acute rejection episodes occurred in 31 patients (77.5%): 15
in the bromocriptine group vs 20 in the control group (n.s.). In each group
eight patients experienced a cytomegalovirus infection. The incidence of
severe bacterial infections (i.e. pneumonia and sepsis) was five and six
respectively. The necessity of haemodialysis after transplantation was 3.1%
in the patients on bromocriptine and 23% in those without. CONCLUSIONS:
Suppression of circulating prolactin concentration by bromocriptine did not
improve the clinical outcome of patients after kidney transplantation
receiving cyclosporin and prednisolone.
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
The long-acting dopamine agonist bromocriptine mesylate as additive immunosuppressive drug after kidney transplantation
Deparment of Medicine, University of Vienna, Austria.
![]()
CiteULike
Connotea
Del.icio.us What's this?