No Difference Between Tacrolimus and Cyclosporine A on Depression Among Kidney Transplantation Recipients

The 2 main types of calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) are tacrolimus (TAC) and cyclosporine A (CsA); both are needed by patients who receive kidney transplants. A common adverse reaction of TAC is depression, which is listed in its instructions. However, depression occurred rarely, according to the instructions manual for CsA.

Scales measuring depression were sent to recipients who had taken TAC or CsA to observe whether there was a difference in depression between patients who consumed the 2 drugs. From September 23^rd-December 8^th 2022, a questionnaire was sent to kidney transplant recipients online to investigate depression by PHQ-9 score. Then, the questionnaires returned were divided into 2 groups: TAC group and CsA group. The difference of basic characteristics was made to equal by means of propensity score matching (PSM). The scores, degrees of depression, and prevalence of major depression between the 2 groups were compared.

Of 259 questionnaires returned, 220 questionnaires were valid. Among them, 170 recipients used TAC and 50 recipients used CsA. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics after PSM. After PSM, there was no statistically significant difference in PHQ-9 (0.8) score, degree of depression (P = .7), or rate of major depression between the 2 groups.

There was no significant difference between kidney transplant recipients taking TAC or CsA in PHQ-9 score, degree of depression, or prevalence of major depression.