Low-dose tacrolimus ameliorates liver inflammation and fibrosis in steroid refractory autoimmune hepatitis

AIM: To determine the eff icacy of tacrolimus on clinical status, histopathological status and biochemical markers in patients with steroid refractory autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). METHODS: Retrospectively, clinical parameters, biochemistry and histology were obtained from patient records. RESULTS: Nine patients [8 females/1 male, median age 32 (range 16-64) years] were identified to have received tacrolimus for a median duration of 18 (12-37) mo. Before initiation of tacrolimus treatment the patients were maintained on a prednisolone dose of 20 mg daily (range 20-80 mg/d), which was tapered to 7.5 (5-12.5) mg/d (P = 0.004). Alanine aminotransferase and immunoglobulin-G concentrations decreased from 154 (100-475) to 47(22-61) U/L (P = 0.007), and from 16 (10-30.2) to 14.5 (8.4-20) g/L (P = 0.032), respectively. All patients showed improvement of the liver inflammatory activity, as determined by the Ishak score (P = 0.016), while the degree of f ibrosis tended to decrease (P = 0.049). CONCLUSION: The use of low dose tacrolimus can lead to biochemical and histologic improvement of inflammation with no progression of the stage of f ibrosis in patients with steroid refractory AIH. Low dose tacrolimus therapy also allows substantial reduction of prednisone dose.

Ciclosporin does not attenuate intracranial hypertension in rats with acute hyperammonaemia

AIM:To investigate the neuroprotective potential of ciclosporin during acute liver failure. We evaluated the effect of intrathecally administered ciclosporin on intracranial pressure, brain water content and aquaporin-4 expression in a rat model with acute hyperammonaemia.METHODS:Twenty-four male Wistar rats with portacaval anastomosis were randomised into four groups receiving ciclosporin or vehicle and ammonia or saline infusion. Ciclosporin or vehicle was given intrathecally prior to the ammonia or saline infusion. The ammonia or saline infusion was given intravenously for 4 h,while intracranial pressure and arterial pressure was recorded. At the end of the experiment, cerebral cortex and cerebellar brain tissue was analysed for water and aquaporin-4 content.RESULTS:The following intracranial pressures were found at the end of the experiment:ammonia + ciclosporin:10.0±1.7 mmHg, ammonia + vehicle:6.8±1.0mmHg, saline + ciclosporin:3.1±0.5 mmHg, saline +vehicle:3.3 ± 0.6 mmHg. Ammonia infusion had a significant effect on intracranial pressure and brain water content, which both were higher in the groups receiving ammonia(P<0.001, two-way analysis of variance). Treatment with ciclosporin resulted in relevant tissue concentrations of ciclosporin(>0.2 micromolar)but did not reduce intracranial pressure after 4 h. Furthermore, ciclosporin did not attenuate the increase in cerebral water content, and did not affect aquaporin-4expression.CONCLUSION:Intrathecal administration of ciclosporin does not attenuate intracranial hypertension or brain oedema in rats with portacaval anastomosis and 4 h of ammonia infusion.