Comparison of tacrolimus levels in saliva and blood serum of patients after heart transplantation

Abstract

Introduction: Considering that the lack of correct understanding of tacrolimus serum levels leads to irreversible complications such as kidney failure, convulsions, etc. in heart transplant patients, it is very important to understand the factors affecting the metabolism and serum levels of this drug. In addition, saliva can be used as a more accessible source to measure tacrolimus levels.Materials and Methods: In our study, 7 patients including 4 men and 3 women were included in the study, 3 patients due to DCM, 1 patient due to myocarditis, 1 patient due to ICM, 1 patient due to ARVC and 1 patient due to RHD underwent heart transplant surgery.: In this study, we aim to compare the levels of tacrolimus in the saliva and serum of patients after heart transplantation. We hypothesize that there may be a correlation between the levels of tacrolimus in saliva and serum, as both are potential sources for drug monitoring in heart transplant patients.Results: Our study highlights the importance of accurately monitoring tacrolimus levels in heart transplant patients. While saliva-based monitoring of tacrolimus levels may be a convenient alternative to blood draw, our findings suggest that it may not provide accurateConclusion: These findings indicate that caution should be exercised when using salivary tacrolimus levels as a sole indicator of drug concentration and further research is necessary to better understand and interpret salivary tacrolimus levels in clinical practice and to optimize post-transplant care for heart transplant patients.

Keywords

• cardiac transplant
• metabolism
• tacrolimus absorption