[The cardiologist and immunosuppressive therapy.]
Authors: Ambrosi P, Lafforgue P Abstract The monitoring of immunosuppressive therapy may involve the cardiologist in various settings. TNF inhibitors are contra-indicated in patients with NYHA III-IV cardiac failure. This contra-indication is not absolute for etanercept. In patients with milder forms of cardiac failure, TNF inhibitors can be prescribed in the absence of alternative therapy. A cardiac follow-up is necessary in this situation. Cyclosporine and tacrolimus are both nephrotoxic and hypertensive drugs. For the treatment of arterial hypertension induced by the immunosuppressive therapy, first-line recommended drugs are calcium-blockers and renin-angiotensin inhibitors. Other antihypertensive classes may also be used in these patients. Calcium-blockers may cause frequent o...div id=medwormpbiMedWorm Message:/i/b Please have a look at this new site driven by MedWorm: a href=http://www.thebreastcancerdaily.com/ target=_blankThe Breast Cancer Daily/a/p/div

Randomized Trial of Short‐Course High‐Dose Erythropoietin in Donation After Cardiac Death Kidney Transplant Recipients
Eryhropoiesis‐stimulating agents have demonstrated tissue‐protective effects in experimental models of ischemia‐reperfusion injury. PROTECT was a 12‐month, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, single center study with high‐dose recombinant human erythropoietin‐β (Epoetin) in 92 donation after cardiac death (DCD) kidney transplant recipients. Patients were randomized to receive an intravenous bolus of Epoetin (3.3 × 104 international unit (IU); n = 45) or placebo (saline 0.9% solution; n = 47) on 3 consecutive days, starting 3–4 h before the transplantation and 24 h and 48 h after reperfusion. The immunosuppressive regimen included an anti‐CD25 antibody, steroids, mycophenolate mofetil and delayed introduction of cyclosporine. Primary end point was a composite...