Variants in mycophenolate and CMV antiviral drug pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic genes and leukopenia in heart transplant recipients

BACKGROUND: The objective was to assess the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms in mycophenolate and cytomegalovirus antiviral drug pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic genes and drug-induced leukopenia in adult heart transplant recipients. METHODS: This retrospective analysis included N=148 patients receiving mycophenolate and a cytomegalovirus antiviral drug. In total, 81 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 21 pharmacokinetic and 23 pharmacodynamic genes were selected for investigation. The primary and secondary outcomes were mycophenolate and/or cytomegalovirus antiviral drug-induced leukopenia, defined as a white blood cell count C (p.I27L) was associated with drug-induced leukopenia (unadjusted p=0.002; false discovery rate