Steroid withdrawal 3 months after liver transplantation - does FK 506 confer any advantage over cyclosporin?

Abstract Eighty-one liver recipients were randomised to FK 506 Or cyclosporin (CyA) and azathioprine (AzA), both in combination with steroids. Twenty-even FK 506 and 29 CyA/AzA patients continued in the trial 3 months after transplantation. Steroids were ceased in 23 (85%) FK 506 patients and in 27 (93%) CyA patients. After steroid withdrawal, 2 FK 506 and 4 CyA patients were excluded from the study, all for reasons other than rejection. The median follow-up was 16 months for the FK 506, and 19 months for CyA group. There were no acute rejection episodes or graft losses in the FK 506 group. None of the CyA patients lost their graft but three (13%) had episodes of acute rejection requiring steroids to be recommenced in two cases. There was no evidence of chronic rejection in any of the annual review biopsies in either group. Our results suggested no advantage of FK 506 over CyA in its steroid-paring effect.