Predictors of tacrolimus dose optimization when drug-drug interaction
associated with voriconazole in heart transplant recipients
Abstract
Aims: Voriconazole is the mainstay for the treatment for invasive fungal
infections in heart transplant patients and significantly increase
tacrolimus exposure because of drug-drug interaction (DDI). However, the
magnitude of this DDI is highly variable and hard to predicted. The
purpose of this study was to present the characteristics of DDI between
tacrolimus and voriconazole, and further identify the predictors of
tacrolimus dose modification. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 69
heart transplant recipients without using voriconazole as the control
and 68 patients received voriconazole treatment in voriconazole group.
CYP3A4*1G, CYP3A5*3 and CYP2C19*2 or *3 were genotyped by Sanger
sequencing. The requirement of tacrolimus dose for therapeutic
concentrations and tacrolimus dose-corrected trough concentration (C0/D)
before and after VRC administration were evaluated. Results: The DDI
between tacrolimus and voriconazole was in a large inter-individual
variability with more than ten-fold changes in tacrolimus dose (range
1.28–13.00) and C0/D (range 1.43–13.75). Besides, the fold changes of
tacrolimus dose were associated with CYP2C19 genotype, which was
significantly lower in CYP2C19 extensive metabolizers than that in
CYP2C19 intermediate metabolizers or poor metabolizers (4.06±1.85 vs
5.49±2.47, p=0.0031). While no significant difference was found in both
CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 genotypes. Moreover, CYP2C19 genotype and hematocrit
were independent predicting factors for tacrolimus dose modification
after voriconazole co-therapy. Conclusions: This study provided a
potential basis for comprehensive factors to adjust tacrolimus dosage
when co-administrated with voriconazole in individual patients. CYP2C19
genotype and hematocrit should be considered in tailoring tacrolimus
dose.