Clinical impact of serum level monitoring of Mycophenolic Acid in kidney transplant patients

문송이o, 김재연, 송영천, 한덕종a

서울아산병원 약제팀, 일반외과a

The clinical significance of serum level monitoring of Mycophenolic Acid(MPA) remains controversial. To illustrate the clinical significance of MPA level monitoring, the MPA level monitoring group(group A, n=59) was compared with the non-MPA level monitoring   group(group B, n=50). They were monitored for 12 months after kidney transplantation at Asan Medical Center from Jan. 2006 to Mar. 2008. The group A, maintained under the MPA  level of 1~3ng/ml, had taken more doses of MMF than the group B. The former group changed the doses of MMF in 54.2%, the latter did in 58.0%. The reduction in the MMF doses was  attributed to infection, side effects, and serum level. The group A was better in kidney functions than the group B. As for rejection rates and infection rates, the group A showed a higher incidence. The two groups were similar in the rate of side effects. The group Bmaintained a high serum level of Cyclosporine(CSP). It was anticipated that MPA level  monitoring would predict the maintenance of kidney functions and a reduction in the sideeffects of MMF, but there was no significant difference between the two groups except   for kidney functions that improved over 12 months.