Background: Tacrolimus-related neurotoxicity is a serious complication. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, which is severe neurotoxicity after pediatric living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), is a medication-induced complication related to calcineurin inhibitors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of tacrolimus-related neurotoxicity after pediatric LDLT.
Methods: Pediatric patients who underwent LDLT between 2007 and 2020 at our institution and developed neurologic symptoms with tacrolimus were included in the study. Tacrolimus-related encephalopathy was defined as encephalopathy that resolved after tacrolimus was discontinued. All patients received tacrolimus and a steroid for immunosuppression starting just after LDLT.
Results: During the study period, 128 patients underwent LDLT. All patients received tacrolimus and a steroid. Six patients (5%) developed tacrolimus-related encephalopathy. The median age at transplant was 1.6 years. The original diseases were biliary atresia (n = 5) and progressive familial intrahepatic cholangiopathy type 2 (n = 1). Patients developed encephalopathy at a median of 9 days after LDLT. All patients recovered with conversion to cyclosporine. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging in 3 patients. The mean tacrolimus level at encephalopathy was 11 ng/dL (range, 5.6-14.6 ng/dL). White blood cell count elevation was observed in all patients. One patient died of pancreatitis. Surviving patients (n = 5) were followed for a median of 9 years. All patients resumed tacrolimus a median of 8 months from onset. No neurologic complications were observed after resuming tacrolimus.
Conclusion: We observed tacrolimus-induced encephalopathy in 5% of patients after pediatric LDLT. Patients can resume tacrolimus safely without further neurologic symptoms.
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