TY - JOUR AU - Ghodsizad, Ali AU - Koch, Achim AU - Ungerer, Matthias N. AU - Bordel, Viktor AU - Zugck, Christian AU - Ehlermann, Philipp AU - Doesch, Andreas AU - Karck, Matthias AU - Ruhparwar, Arjang PY - 2012/12/21 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Immunosuppression with Tacrolimus Early after Orthotopic Heart Transplantation: A Comparison of Prograf and Advagraf JF - The Heart Surgery Forum JA - HSF VL - 15 IS - 6 SE - DO - 10.1532/HSF98.20111145 UR - https://journal.hsforum.com/index.php/HSF/article/view/49 SP - E307-E309 AB - <p><b>Background</b>: We compared trough levels and clinical outcomes in patients who received Prograf or Advagraf (tacrolimus) de novo following heart transplantation surgery.</p><p><b>Methods</b>: Eighty-two patients were included in this follow-up study. Biopsy results were controlled for the first 3 months after orthotopic heart transplantation. Trough levels were monitored for 4 weeks: daily during the first 7 days and once every week thereafter. The lengths of stay in the hospital and in intensive care were compared. The end point of the study was the 1-year mortality rate.</p><p><b>Results</b>: We found significant differences between the groups for both biopsy results and trough levels. Trough levels differed for the first 5 days and then converged on the sixth day. The levels remained comparable throughout the monitoring period. The 1-year mortality rates for Prograf and Advagraf were 20% and 15%, respectively.</p><p><b>Conclusions</b>: Trough levels were comparable after an adjustment period. There were no differences between the 2 groups in their 1-year mortality rates. These results suggest that Advagraf is a safe alternative to Prograf for patients who have undergone heart transplantation.</p> ER -