Prograf - Long Term Effects [posted 8/6/98]
Question: I am a liver transplant patient (5 years). I would like to know the long term effects of Prograf. I take 18 mg a day.

Answer: Prograf (tacrolimus) is a drug used to suppress humoral immunity in grafted patients. It does this mainly (with current information) by impairing T cell immunity. Dose dependent diabetes mellitus has been reported in 20-30% of patients. The drug can cause neuro and renal toxicity, and this appears fairly dose dependent. As a consequence, it needs to be used with great care when used with other drugs which affect renal function (cyclosporin for example). Heart enlargement has also been reported and there is a definite increase in malignancies with patients taking this drug (as well as most immunosuppressives).

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