Early Steroid-Free Immunosuppression With FK506 After Liver Transplantation: Long-Term Results of a Prospectively Randomized Double-Blinded Trial

Background. The aim of this prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled single center study was to evaluate an early steroid-free immunosuppression in liver transplant patients. Methods. From March 2000 to October 2004, 110 patients were included. All patients received tacrolimus and steroids during the first 2 weeks after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Thereafter, patients in the steroid group (n=54) received steroids and the remaining 56 a placebo. After 6 months, the immunosuppression for all was steroid free. Thirty patients were hepatitis C positive. Five years after inclusion, patient survival, organ survival, steroid side effects, and recirrhosis in hepatitis…