What is ciclosporin?
- Type of drug: calcineurin inhibitor
- Use: immunosuppressant after kidney transplant; other autoimmune disease
- Dose: 50-100 mg twice a day (2 mg/kg per day, after first year)
- Side-effects:
- Diabetes – 10% of patients
- Hair gain (hirsutes = male pattern in a woman)
- Liver dysfunction
- Neurological and/or psychiatric syndromes
- Swollen gums.
- Monitor: target blood levels 50-100 mcg/L (after first year); glucose; liver enzymes.
Note 1. Tacrolimus is an alternative drug (also a calcineurin inhibitor), with similar side effects though causes hair loss
Note 2. Ciclosporin is often used in combination with prednisolone, mycophenolate (or azathioprine), and an IL-2 receptor inhibitors such as basiliximab
Note 3. As with all immunosuppression, skin protection (against skin cancer) is important
Note 4. Can be given IV at one-third oral dose, given by infusion over 2-6 hours.
Other resources
CKD drug side-effects
CKD patient information (CKD Explained 30+ core articles)
Ciclosporin (BNF)
Ciclosporin (UHCW patient information)
Renal transplantation (UHCW patient information)
This is a review article: Tapla, 2023
Last Reviewed on 5 May 2024