COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SOLUBLE OF CD40 LIGAND LEVELS IN HEART RECIPIENTS TREATED WITH CYCLOSPORINE A AND TACROLIMUS

Soluble form of CD40L is platelet activating factor, which is a marker of inflammation and thrombosis. Elevated levels of sCD40L before the heart transplantation are associated with the risk of early development of cardiova- scular complications. The study included 54 patients who had received heart transplants. All recipients received a triple heart immu- nosuppressive therapy, including methylprednisolone, mycophenolate mofetil and cyclosporine A (20 recipients) or methylprednisolone, mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus (34 recipients). Patients were not differed by age, gender, etiology of heart failure before heart transplantation (p > 0,05). In the first group of transplant recipients, the relative risk of cardiovascular events with high sCD40L levels before transplantation was 3 2 (95% CI 1,4; 12,0). In the second group of recipients, respectively, 2.69 (95% CI 1,1; 8,5). SCD40L level after heart transplan- tation was significantly higher for patients receiving cyclosporine (P < 0.05). Increasing concentrations of sCD40L are associated with a higher incidence of cardiovascular complications.