Individualized dosing algorithms for tacrolimus in kidney transplant recipients: current status and unmet needs

Tacrolimus is a potent immunosuppressive drug with many side effects including nephrotoxicity and post-transplant diabetes mellitus. To limit its toxicity, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is performed. However, tacrolimus' pharmacokinetics are highly variable within and between individuals, which complicates their clinical management. Despite TDM, many kidney transplant recipients will experience under- or overexposure to tacrolimus. Therefore, dosing algorithms have been developed to limit the time a patient is exposed to off-target concentrations.

Tacrolimus starting dose algorithms and models for follow-up doses developed and/or tested since 2015, encompassing both adult and pediatric populations. Literature was searched in different databases, i.e. Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Register, and Google Scholar, from inception to February 2023.

Many algorithms have been developed, but few have been prospectively evaluated. These performed better than bodyweight-based starting doses, regarding the time a patient is exposed to off-target tacrolimus concentrations. No benefit in reduced tacrolimus toxicity has yet been observed. Most algorithms were developed from small datasets, contained only a few tacrolimus concentrations per person, and were not externally validated. Moreover, other matrices should be considered which might better correlate with tacrolimus toxicity than the whole-blood concentration, e.g. unbound plasma or intra-lymphocytic tacrolimus concentrations.