Immunosuppressive Drugs and Gut Microbiome: Pharmacokinetic- and Microbiome Diversity Effects

Kidney transplant recipients of living- and deceased donor grafts and treated with both mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and tacrolimus (Tac) will be included. A 12-hour pharmacokinetic (PK) investigation of both mycophenolate (MPA) and Tac will be performed in pharmacokinetic steady state conditions between 3 to 8 weeks and one year after transplantation. Feces samples will be collected before (if possible), 1 week after transplantation and at the day of the 12-hour PK investigations. Data on dietary intake and physical activity will be obtained in association with the feces sampling in all patients. Patients will be invited to a follow-up visit one year after transplantation where the 12-hour PK investigation, feces sampling, dietary and activity data collection is repeated. Standard follow-up data after renal transplantations, such as acute rejection episodes, infections, renal function, post transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM), protocol biopsies, adherence to immunosuppressive drugs, graft loss and death will be collected for all patients up to 5 years after transplantation according to standard schedule at the transplant center.

A subgroup of kidney transplant recipients scheduled for living donor transplantation will be included before transplantation for pre-transplant investigations in addition to the investigations after transplantation. These patients will be randomized to either receive one week of treatment with MMF or Tac before transplantation. Feces samples and a 12-hour PK investigation will be performed after one week of treatment (before transplantation).