This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Smith, L. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Corticosteroids in Solid Organ Transplantation: Update and Review of the Literature

University of Utah Hospital, Department of Pharmacy Services - A050, 50 N Medical Dr, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132lonnie.smith{at}hsc.utah.edu

Corticosteroids have been a constant in immunosuppressive regimens since the beginning of solid organ transplantation. Although the use of corticosteroids allowed the advancement of transplantation in the early years, this came at the price of numerous adverse events for patients. As the survival of transplanted organs has risen over the past several years, increasing attention has been focused on the management of long-term complications. Many of these long-term complications are directly related to the toxicities of immunosuppressiveagents. Due to these toxicities, we have seen a resurgence in immunosuppressive protocols that utilize regimens designed to minimize these long-term complications. This has been accomplished by avoiding, reducing or withdrawing one or more medications from the multi-drug regimens. Corticosteroids, with their plethora of side affects, have been of major interest to the transplant community in terms of minimizing side affects by limiting exposure.

Key Words: Kidney • transplantation • corticosteroids • immunosuppression

Journal of Pharmacy Practice, Vol. 16, No. 6, 380-387 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/0897190003259838


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?