Table 1. Basic characteristics of the studies included in this meta-analysis.
Author | Year | Country | Number of Patient | Gender (Male/Female) | Drug Used (CNI minimization/Routine CNI regimen) | Initial CNI trough levels (ng/mL) | Duration of Follow-up |
H.J.Schlitt et al14 | 2001 | Germany | 28 | 19/9 | MMF/CNI+AZA+steroids | CsA 100–120/Tac 8–10 | 6 m |
P.De Simone et al15 | 2009 | Italy | 145 | 85/60 | Everolimus+CNI↓+steroids/CNI* | CsA 105.5/Tac 5.65 | 12 m |
V.R.Cicinnati et al16 | 2007 | Germany | 75 | 51/24 | CNI↓+MMF+steroids/CNI* | CsA 110.6/Tac 6.59 | 12 m |
S.Beckebaum et al17 | 2004 | Germany | 32 | 22/10 | CNI↓+MMF/CNI* | CsA 116/Tac 5.6 | 12 m |
G.P.Pageaux et al18 | 2006 | France | 56 | 45/11 | CNI↓+MMF/CNI* | CsA 162/Tac 4.4 | 12 m |
U.Eisenberger et al19 | 2009 | Switzerland | 16 | 12/4 | Sirolimus*/CNI* | CsA 160/Tac 10/8 | 12 m |
C.C.Rogers et al20 | 2009 | U.S.A. | 82 | 46/36 | Sirolimus*/CNI* | CsA 100–150/Tac 6–8 | 12 m |
M.Biselli et al21 | 2009 | Italy | 60 | 50/10 | CNI↓+MMF/CNI* | CsA 120/Tac 7 | 12 m |
S.Shenoy et al22 | 2007 | U.S.A. | 40 | 29/11 | Sirolimus*/CNI* | CsA 150/Tac 6.3 | 12 m |
S.Beckbaum et al23 | 2009 | Germany | 90 | 63/27 | CNI↓+MMF/CNI* | N/A | 12 m |
A.Kornberg et al12 | 2005 | Germany | 43 | 29/14 | CNI↓+MMF/CNI* | CsA 143.6/Tac 9.9 | 6 m |
M.Cantarovich et al13 | 2003 | Canada | 19 | N/A | CsA↓+MMF/CsA* | CsA 132 | 12 m |
L.B.Pulido et al24 | 2008 | Spain | 31 | N/A | MMF*/CNI* | CsA 65.63/Tac 3.72 | 12 m |
D.Reich et al25 | 2005 | U.S.A. | 15 | 10/5 | MMF+steroids/CNI* | CsA 188.8/Tac 10/8 | 13 m |
F.Di Benedetto et al26 | 2009 | Italy | 31 | N/A | Sirolimus+steroids/CNI+steroids | N/A | 36 m |
C.Ponton et al27 | 2010 | Spain | 88 | 74/14 | CNI↓+MMF/CNI* | N/A | 6 m |
C.Creput et al28 | 2007 | France | 49 | 37/12 | CNI↓+MMF/CNI+AZA+steroids | CsA 100–250/Tac 5–10 | 36 m |
R.O.Koch et al29 | 2004 | Austria | 32 | 22/10 | CNI↓+MMF+steroids/CNI+AZA+steroids | CsA 32/Tac 2.7 | 6 m |
M.L.Raimondo et al30 | 2003 | U.K. | 16 | 10/6 | MMF*/CNI+AZA+steroids | N/A | 12 m |
J.M.M.Planas et al31 | 2004 | Spain | 50 | 32/18 | MMF/CNI* | CsA 93/Tac 6.5 | 18 m |
U.Tannuri et al32 | 2007 | Brazil | 11 | 5/6 | CNI↓+MMF/CNI+ steroids | Tac 6–8 | 24 m |
R.Pfitzmann et al33 | 2002 | Germany | 47 | N/A | CNI↓+MMF/CNI+steroids | CsA 100–180/Tac 5–10 | 6 m |
K.D.Fairbanks et al34 | 2003 | U.S.A. | 21 | 10/11 | Sirolimus*/CNI* | N/A | 16 m |
E.Q.Sanchez et al35 | 2005 | U.S.A. | 35 | N/A | Sirolimus+CNI↓+MMF/CNI+MMF+steroids | N/A | 24 m |
Y.J.Yang et al36 | 2008 | China | 16 | 16/0 | Sirolimus*/CNI* | N/A | 6 m |
G.Orlando et al37 | 2007 | Italy | 42 | 34/8 | MMF/CNI* | CsA 129/Tac 2.3 | 12 m |
P.De Simone et al38 | 2009 | Italy | 70 | 51/19 | Everolimus*/CNI* | CsA 100–150/Tac 3–8 | 12 m |
S.Dharancy et al39 | 2009 | France | 52 | 43/9 | MMF*/CNI+AZA+steroids | CsA 150–250/Tac 6–12 | 12 m |
I.Morard et al40 | 2007 | Switzerland | 9 | N/A | Sirolimus*/CNI* | CsA 96/Tac 7 | 23 m |
M.Vivarelli et al41 | 2010 | Italy | 28 | N/A | Sirolimus+steroids/CNI* | N/A | 12 m |
J.Castroagudin et al42 | 2011 | Spain | 30 | 26/4 | Everolimus*/CNI* | N/A | 12 m |
A.H.Cotterell et al43 | 2002 | U.S.A. | 8 | 5/3 | Sirolimus+CNI↓/CNI* | N/A | 12 m |
*Regimen based on one drug with concomitant drug(s) that was either prednisone, or AZA, or MMF. Abbreviations: CNI, calcineurin inhibitor; MMF, mycophenolate mofetil; AZA, azathioprine; N/A, not available.