[Pharmacokinetic of cyclosporin A]

Pharmacokinetic studies of 13 children treated with cyclosporine A (CyA) were retrospectively analysed (9 renal transplants, 1 combined liver-kidney transplant, 1 heart transplant; 2 were treated for a nephrotic syndrome). The patients were separated into 2 groups: patients 0-15 years (group 1), patients 15-18 years (group 2). In comparison with adults (group 3), children of the 2 groups required higher CyA doses, related either to body weight or to body surface area. CyA dosage was performed by high performance liquid chromatography on whole blood samples. Despite higher doses, trough CyA levels were lower in groups 1 and 2 compared with group 3. Nephrotoxicity occurred in the only 2 children treated with CyA doses higher than 10 mg/kg/d.