Limited Sampling Strategy for Mycophenolic Acid in Chinese Kidney Transplant Recipients Receiving Enteric-Coated Mycophenolate Sodium and Tacrolimus During the Early Posttransplantation Phase

Mycophenolic acid (MPA), a potent immunosuppressant, is widely used in solid organ transplantations. This study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS) in Chinese adult renal allograft recipients and to generate optimal model equations for estimation of the MPA area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 12 hours (AUC0-12 h), using a limited sampling strategy (LSS).Serial blood samples were collected over 12 hours from 38 recipients of a primary living-related donor kidney graft treated with EC-MPS, tacrolimus, and corticosteroid. MPA concentrations were evaluated using an enzyme-multiplied immunoassay technique. The LSSs were developed and validated by multiple regression analysis using a 2-group method (test group, n = 19; validation group, n = 19).The best algorithms obtained from the test group were the following: 15.09 + 1.05 × C1.5 + 1.8 × C4 + 4.18 × C6 (for 3 time points, r = 0.902) and 10.44 + 0.7 × C1 + 1.22 × C2 + 1.75 × C4 + 4.36 × C6 (for 4 time points, r = 0.941). When these algorithms were tested in the validation group, there were no significant differences in prediction errors.LSSs using time points of 1.5, 4, and 6 hours or 1, 2, 4, and 6 hours after dose provide effective and reliable estimations of the MPA AUC0-12 h in Chinese renal allograft recipients treated concomitantly with EC-MPS and tacrolimus during the early posttransplantation phase.