Different prednisolone pharmacokinetics in Cushingoid and non-Cushingoid kidney transplant patients

Prednisolone pharmacokinetics have been compared in 16 Cushingoid and 46 non-Cushingoid long term kidney transplant recipients. The Cushingoid patients had a significantly (p less than 0.05) higher peak concentration, a longer elimination half-time, a greater area under the time-concentration curve of total and free prednisolone, and a lower total body clearance of prednisolone. It is suggested that prednisolone pharmacodynamics may be influenced by pharmacokinetic differences, and that differences in renal function may be an important contributing factor.