The effect of cyclosporin on lower limb blood flow in renal transplant recipients

We investigated the effect of electively converting stable renal allograft recipients from cyclosporin A (CyA) to prednisolone and azathioprine on limb blood. We used a non-invasive method designed to measure the hyperaemic blood flow to the lower limb following a standard ischaemic insult. The hyperaemic blood flow was greater during CyA therapy-median 14 ml/100 ml tissue per minute (95% confidence limits 10.5–16.5)-than that after conversion-median 11 ml/100 ml tissue per minute (8.3–13.8;P<0.01). By increasing peripheral vascular resistance and reducing limb blood flow, CyA may have caused an increase in the degree of ischaemia, so resulting in a greater hyperaemic response.