Pharmacokinetics of Tacrolimus in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Once Daily Versus Twice Daily Dosing

Tacrolimus is a medication given to transplant patients to help prevent rejection. The purpose of this study is to see if tacrolimus can be taken once a day instead of twice a day in kidney transplant patients.

Transplant patients are required to take several medications to prevent rejection and to treat complications after their transplantation. Because of the complicated dosing schedule, it can be difficult for patients to follow their medication schedule. Taking fewer medications less frequently may help transplant patients to better manage their drug therapy.

Tacrolimus is better absorbed in the body if it is taken in the morning than if it is taken in the evening. This suggests that tacrolimus can be taken once every morning instead of twice daily in order to produce appropriate drug exposure to prevent organ rejection without increased side effects.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Kidney Transplantation
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Tacrolimus

• Study Type: Interventional
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Missouri
    • St. Louis, Missouri, United States, 63110
      • Washington University/Barnes Jewish Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria: 1) Kidney transplant recipients (18 years or older) at Washington University/Barnes Hospital taking tacrolimus-based immunosuppression; 2) Stable kidney transplant recipients (>6 months post-transplantation, serum creatinine < 2 ml/dL, no history of rejection); 3) Stable immunosuppression (therapeutic tacrolimus concentrations, no change in tacrolimus dose within one month prior to the study); 4) Subjects must agree to abstain from alcohol and caffeine for 48 hours prior to the pharmacokinetics studies.

Exclusion Criteria: 1) Pregnant women or nursing mothers; 2) Patients unwilling or unable to comply with the protocol; 3) Significant liver impairment (AST or ALT > 2 x upper limit of normal, or total bilirubin > upper limit of normal); 4) Anemia: Hematocrit < 30%; 5) Use of concomitant P450 3A4/p-glycoprotein inducers or inhibitors; 6) Current smoking; 7) Patients with diabetes mellitus

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: December 7, 2022
• Primary Completion: December 7, 2022
• Study Completion: December 7, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 17, 2001
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 17, 2001
• First Posted (Estimate): December 18, 2001

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): June 24, 2005
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 23, 2005
• Last Verified: December 1, 2003

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Enzyme Inhibitors; Immunosuppressive Agents; Immunologic Factors; Calcineurin Inhibitors; Tacrolimus
• Other Study ID Numbers: NCRR-M01RR00036-0824

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No