Safety and Efficacy of Once-Daily Administration of Mycophenolate Mofetil in Kidney Transplant Patients—A New Treatment Option for Non-Adherence

Naotsugu Ichimaru, Kazuaki Yamanaka, Taigo Kato, Yoichi Kakuta, Toyofumi Abe, Jun-ya Kaimori, Ryoichi Imamura, Norio Nonomura, Shiro Takahara

Department of Advanced Technology for Transplantation, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.
Department of Specific Organ Regulation (Urology), Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.

DOI: 10.4236/jbise.2014.710077                

Abstract

Non-adherence to immunosuppressive therapy is associated with reduced graft survival. Fifteen long-term follow up kidney transplant patients with stable post-transplant clinical courses were enrolled in the study. All patients were prescribed to tacrolimus prolonged release, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and corticosteroid at the time of enrolment. Twice-daily administration of MMF was then converted to a single daily dose. As a result, all immunosuppressive agents were administered simultaneously at one time in the morning. The daily total doses of the three immunosuppressants were identical during the study period. No acute rejection or adverse event was observed during the study period. Blood urea nitrogen and estimated glomerular filtration rate did not change significantly after conversion to once-daily administration. The blood tacrolimus trough level and the Mycophenolic acid (MPA) trough level also did not change significantly after conversion to once-daily administration. Interestingly, the meanmedian MPA trough level remained >3 μg/ml even after conversion to once-daily administration. A sufficient plasma MPA level was maintained after conversion to once-daily administration, and no acute rejection was observed during the study period. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report that the plasma MPA concentration can be maintained after once-daily administration of MMF in long-term kidney transplant patients. Once-daily administration of immunosuppressive agents may improve long-term graft survival because of better treatment adherence due to the reduced dosing frequency. The safety or efficacy of conversion to once-daily administration of MMF should be evaluated in a future randomized controlled large-scale clinical study.

Keywords

Once-Daily Administration, Mycophenolate Mofetil, Treatment Adherence

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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