Despite advances in the treatment of vasculitis, modern therapies fail to induce or maintain remission in a significant proportion of patients. Mycophenolic acid is increasingly used to treat vasculitis syndromes. Here, we consider relevant pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of mycophenolate, with emphasis on the impact of renal impairment, and we review the existing evidence for an...

IgM nephropathy presents with refractory nephrotic syndrome and its treatment is a significant challenge for pediatricians. We present two patients with IgM nephropathy and frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome treated with rituximab and subsequently mycophenolate mofetil. Both showed complete remission, which 24 to 30 months later, was still maintained. The role of mycophenolate mofetil ther...

mycophenolate mofetil (mmf) as an immunosuppressive agent is used to prevent graft rejection. one of the adverse effects of long time administration of mmf is the gastrointestinal disorder. this study aimed to investigate the gastroprotective effect of silymarin (smn) on mmf-induced gastrointestinal (gi) disorders. twenty-four adult female wistar rats were assigned into three groups including t...

Tubulointerstitial nephritis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease has been linked to the use of 5-ASA derivatives. Various aspects of this theory have been challenged with a potential role for the underlying autoimmune disorder. Steroids are the mainstay of treatment and mycophenolate mofetil might be an effective alternative. We report a patient who responded well to mycophenolate despi...

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis is a rare, but potentially lethal, complication of peritoneal dialysis. Treatment of patients with encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis is controversial. Conservative treatment carries a poor outcome, and immunosuppressive drugs are now used frequently. Most commonly, these immunosuppressive regimens include steroids with or without azathioprine or cyclosporine....

Diabetes mellitus, a frequent metabolic complication in liver transplant recipients, may be produced by the diabetogenic effect of calcineurin inhibitors cyclosporine and tacrolimus. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and metabolic effects of a gradual switch from cyclosporine or tacrolimus to mycophenolate mofetil among 12 diabetic liver transplant recipients. One patient was ...

INTRODUCTION Common features of autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dysplasia include candidiasis, hypoparathyroidism and hypoadrenalism. The initial manifestation of autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dysplasia may be autoimmune hepatitis, keratoconjunctivitis, frequent fever with or without a rash, chronic diarrhea, or different combinations of these with or...

BACKGROUND Lung transplantation cases have immunosuppression maintained using a calcineurin inhibitor, anti-metabolites, and steroid. CASE REPORT We report 2 clinical cases in which anti-metabolites (mycophenolate mofetil) were successfully withdrawn after living donor lobar lung transplantation by monitoring immune function using the ImmuKnow® assay. In the first case, a 43-year-old woman un...

BACKGROUND The introduction of sirolimus has provided the opportunity to develop an immunosuppressive regimen without the nephrotoxic calcineurin inhibitors. METHODS We conducted a first trial in 30 renal allograft recipients. Ten patients were followed prospectively and received sirolimus, to achieve a target blood level of 10 to 15 ng/ml, induction therapy with one dose of daclizumab, low-d...