Author(s):
Shreya Jain, Shankar Prasad Nagaraju, Priya Rani, Mohan V Bhojaraja, Attur Ravindra Prabhu, Dharshan Rangaswamy, Indu Ramachandra Rao, Srinivas Vinayak Shenoy
Email(s):
mohan.vb@manipal.edu
DOI:
10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00420
Address:
Shreya Jain, Shankar Prasad Nagaraju, Priya Rani, Mohan V Bhojaraja, Attur Ravindra Prabhu, Dharshan Rangaswamy, Indu Ramachandra Rao, Srinivas Vinayak Shenoy
Department of Nephrology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education , Manipal, India.
*Corresponding Author
Published In:
Volume - 19,
Issue - 7,
Year - 2026
ABSTRACT:
The optimal dosing strategy for “mycophenolate mofetil” (MMF) in renal transplant recipients under “tacrolimus-based immunosuppression” remains uncertain. This retrospective study assessed the safety and effectiveness of two MMF dosages—1.5g/day and 2g/day—among adult patients who underwent “live-related kidney transplants” at a tertiary care institution between January 2018 and December 2022. Participants were split into two groups: Group 1(n = 20) received 1.5g/day, while Group 2(n = 42) received 2g/day. All individuals were managed with standard triple immunosuppressive therapy and showed comparable baseline profiles and tacrolimus trough concentrations. Primary outcomes evaluated included the occurrence of leukopenia, infection rates, and episodes of acute rejection. Secondary endpoints focused on one-year graft performance and overall patient survival. A significantly greater incidence of leukopenia (47.6% vs. 20%; p = 0.04) and infections (35.7% vs. 10%; p = 0.03) was observed in the 2g/day group compared to the 1.5g/day group. However, there was no statistically significant decrease in acute rejection episodes (54.8% vs. 45%; p = 0.47) with the higher dosage. Renal function at one year, measured by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), was nearly identical between groups (69.3±23.2 vs. 68.2±22.8mL/min/1.73m²; p = 0.86), and no differences were found in graft or patient survival. In conclusion, starting MMF at 2g/day in patients receiving tacrolimus may lead to an increased risk of hematologic and infectious side effects without yielding measurable advantages in rejection control or long-term clinical outcomes. These results support the consideration of a reduced initial MMF dose as a safer yet equally effective approach.
Cite this article:
Shreya Jain, Shankar Prasad Nagaraju, Priya Rani, Mohan V Bhojaraja, Attur Ravindra Prabhu, Dharshan Rangaswamy, Indu Ramachandra Rao, Srinivas Vinayak Shenoy. Initial Mycophenolate Mofetil Dose in Live-related Kidney Transplant Recipients in Indian Context: Are We Overdosing?. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology. 2026;19(7):2947-3. doi: 10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00420
Cite(Electronic):
Shreya Jain, Shankar Prasad Nagaraju, Priya Rani, Mohan V Bhojaraja, Attur Ravindra Prabhu, Dharshan Rangaswamy, Indu Ramachandra Rao, Srinivas Vinayak Shenoy. Initial Mycophenolate Mofetil Dose in Live-related Kidney Transplant Recipients in Indian Context: Are We Overdosing?. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology. 2026;19(7):2947-3. doi: 10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00420 Available on: https://rjptonline.org/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2026-19-7-7
9. REFERENCES:
1. Maripuri S, Kasiske BL. The role of mycophenolate mofetil in kidney transplantation revisited. Transplant Rev. 2014; 28: 26–31.
2. Sollinger HW, Belzer FO, Deierhoi MH, et al. RS-61443 (mycophenolate mofetil). A multicenter study for refractory kidney transplant rejection. Ann Surg. 1992; 216: 513.
3. Keown P, Häyry P, Morris P, et al. A blinded, randomized clinical trial of mycophenolate mofetil for the prevention of acute rejection in cadaveric renal transplantation. The Tricontinental Mycophenolate Mofetil Renal Transplantation Study Group. Transplantation. 1996; 61: 1029–1037.
4. Cho S, Danovitch G, Deierhoi M, et al. Mycophenolate mofetil for the prevention of acute rejection in primary cadaveric renal allograft recipients. Transplantation. 1995; 60: 225–232.
5. European Mycophenolate Mofetil Cooperative Study Group. Placebo-controlled study of mycophenolate mofetil combined with cyclosporin and corticosteroids for prevention of acute rejection. The Lancet. 1995; 345: 1321–1325.
6. Halloran P, Mathew T, Tomlanovich S, et al. Mycophenolate mofetil in renal allograft recipients: A pooled efficacy analysis of three randomized, double-blind, clinical studies in prevention of rejection. Transplantation. 1997; 63: 39–47.
7. Sollinger HW, Deierhoi MH, Belzer FO, et al. Rs-61443—a phase i clinical trial and pilot rescue study. Transplantation. 1992; 53: 428–432.
8. Kocak H, Yakupoglu U, Uslu Karatas G, et al. Tacrolimus Plus Low-Dose Mycophenolate Mofetil in Renal Transplant Recipients: Better 2-Year Graft and Patient Survival Than With a Higher Mycophenolate Mofetil Dose. Transplant Proc. 2005; 37: 3009–3011.
9. Miller J, Mendez R, Pirsch JD, et al. Safety and efficacy of tacrolimus in combination with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in cadaveric renal transplant recipients. Transplantation. 2000; 69: 875–880.
10. Shapiro R, Jordan ML, Scantlebury VP, et al. A prospective, randomized trial of tacrolimus/prednisone versus tacrolimus/prednisone/mycophenolate mofetil in renal transplant recipients. Transplantation. 1999; 67: 411–415.
11. Squifflet JP, Backman L, Claesson K, et al. Dose optimization of mycophenolate mofetil when administered with a low dose of tacrolimus in cadaveric renal transplant recipients. Transplantation. 2001; 72: 63–69.
12. Staatz CE, Tett SE. Pharmacology and toxicology of mycophenolate in organ transplant recipients: An update. Arch Toxicol. 2014; 88: 1351–1389.
13. Dave V, Polkinghorne KR, Leong KG, et al. Initial mycophenolate dose in tacrolimus treated renal transplant recipients, a cohort study comparing leukopaenia, rejection and long-term graft function. Sci Rep. 2020; 10: 1–10.
14. Ekberg H, Tedesco-Silva H, Demirbas A, et al. Reduced Exposure to Calcineurin Inhibitors in Renal Transplantation. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007; 357: 2562–2575.
15. Filler G, Zimmering M, Mai I. Pharmacokinetics of mycophenolate mofetil are influenced by concomitant immunosuppression. Pediatric Nephrology. 2000; 14: 100–104.
16. Van Gelder T, Klupp J, Barten MJ, et al. Comparison of the effects of tacrolimus and cyclosporine on the pharmacokinetics of mycophenolic acid. Ther Drug Monit. 2001; 23: 119–128.
17. Zucker K, Rosen A, Tsaroucha A, et al. Unexpected augmentation of mycophenolic acid pharmacokinetics in renal transplant patients receiving tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil in combination therapy, and analogous in vitro findings. Transpl Immunol. 1997; 5: 225–232.
18. Metz DK, Holford N, Kausman JY, et al. Optimizing Mycophenolic Acid Exposure in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Time for Target Concentration Intervention. Transplantation. 2019; 103: 2012–2030.
19. Eckardt K-U, Kasiske BL, Zeier MG. Special Issue: KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline for the Care of Kidney Transplant Recipients. American Journal of Transplantation. 2009; 9: S1–S155.
20. Lentine KL, Smith JM, Miller JM, et al. OPTN/SRTR 2021 Annual Data Report: Kidney. American Journal of Transplantation. 2023; 23: S21–S120.
21. Kiberd BA, Lawen J, Daley C. Limits to intensified mycophenolate mofetil dosing in kidney transplantation. Ther Drug Monit. 2012; 34: 736–738.
22. Gourishankar S, Houde I, Keown PA, et al. The CLEAR study: A 5-day, 3-g loading dose of mycophenolate Mofetil versus standard 2-g dosing in renal transplantation. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2010; 5: 1282–1289.
23. Van Gelder T, Silva HT, De Fijter JW, et al. Comparing mycophenolate mofetil regimens for de novo renal transplant recipients: The fixed-dose concentration-controlled trial. Transplantation. 2008; 86: 1043–1051.
24. Gaston RS, Kaplan B, Shah T, et al. Fixed- or controlled-dose mycophenolate mofetil with standard- or reduced-dose calcineurin inhibitors: The opticept trial. American Journal of Transplantation. 2009; 9: 1607–1619.
25. Doria C, Greenstein S, Narayanan M, et al. Association of mycophenolic acid dose with efficacy and safety events in kidney transplant patients receiving tacrolimus: An analysis of the Mycophenolic acid Observational REnal transplant registry. Clin Transplant; 26. Epub ahead of print November 2012. DOI: 10.1111/CTR.12035,.
26. Ding C, Xue W, Tian P, et al. Which is more suitable for kidney transplantation at the early post-transplantation phase in China - low dosing or standard dosing of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium? Int J Clin Pract Suppl. 2014; 10–16.
27. Kuypers DRJ, Claes K, Evenepoel P, et al. Long-Term Changes in Mycophenolic Acid Exposure in Combination with Tacrolimus and Corticosteroids Are Dose Dependent and Not Reflected by Trough Plasma Concentration: A Prospective Study in 100 De Novo Renal Allograft Recipients. The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2003; 43: 866–880.
28. Becker-Cohen R, Ben-Shalom E, Rinat C, et al. Severe neutropenia in children after renal transplantation: incidence, course, and treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Pediatric Nephrology. 2015; 30: 2029–2036.
29. Hartmann EL, Gatesman M, Roskopf-Somerville J, et al. Management of leukopenia in kidney and pancreas transplant recipients. Clin Transplant. 2008; 22: 822–828.
30. Zafrani L, Truffaut L, Kreis H, et al. Incidence, risk factors and clinical consequences of neutropenia following kidney transplantation: A retrospective study. American Journal of Transplantation. 2009; 9: 1816–1825.
31. Knoll GA, Macdonald I, Khan A, et al. Mycophenolate mofetil dose reduction and the risk of acute rejection after renal transplantation. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2003; 14: 2381–2386.
32. Datrino LN, Boccuzzi ML, Silva RM, et al. Safety and Efficacy of Mycophenolate Mofetil Associated With Tacrolimus for Kidney-pancreas and Kidney Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Studies. Transplant Proc. 2024; 56: 1066–1076.
33. Klupp J, Pfitzmann R, Langrehr JM, et al. Indications of mycophenolate mofetil in liver transplantation. Transplantation; 80. Epub ahead of print. 15 October 2005. DOI: 10.1097/01.TP.0000187133.53916.8F,.
34. Stegall MD, Everson GT, Schroter G, et al. Prednisone withdrawal late after adult liver transplantation reduces diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia without causing graft loss. Hepatology. 1997; 25: 173–177.
35. Hosohata K, Matsuoka E, Inada A, et al. Differential profiles of adverse events associated with mycophenolate mofetil between adult and pediatric renal transplant patients. Journal of International Medical Research. 2018; 46: 4617–4623.
36. AC A. Mechanisms of action of mycophenolate mofetil. Lupus. 2005; 14 Suppl 1: 2–8.
37. Moreno A, Cervera C, Gavaldá J, et al. Bloodstream infections among transplant recipients: Results of a nationwide surveillance in Spain. American Journal of Transplantation. 2007; 7: 2579–2586.
38. Karuthu S, Blumberg EA. Common infections in kidney transplant recipients. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2012; 7: 2058–2070.
39. Dharnidharka VR, Stablein DM, Harmon WE. Post-Transplant Infections Now Exceed Acute Rejection as Cause for Hospitalization: A Report of the NAPRTCS. American Journal of Transplantation. 2004; 4: 384–389.
40. Viklicky O, Fronek J, Trunecka P, et al. Organ Transplantation in the Czech Republic. Transplantation. 2017; 101: 2259–2261.
41. Bodro M, Sabé N, Tubau F, et al. Risk factors and outcomes of bacteremia caused by drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens in solid-organ transplant recipients. Transplantation. 2013; 96: 843–849.