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Faculty of Medical Sciences

Tacrolimus as a predictor for tremor in transplant recipients

Dooren, B. van (Bart) (2018) Tacrolimus as a predictor for tremor in transplant recipients. thesis, Medicine.

Full text available on request.

Abstract

Introduction: Patients often experience tremor after organ transplantation. Although tremor is not life threatening, it can have a major impact on quality of life, as patients often lose the ability to carry out relatively simple daily life tasks. Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the severity of tremor in transplant recipients. We try to gain more insight in the cause of the tremor by coupling this data to patient characteristics like: tacrolimus blood concentration, magnesium blood concentration and grip strength. Methods: 170 transplant recipients were included in a cross sectional study design. Two examiners assessed tremor severity twelve months after transplantation. The relationship between tacrolimus blood concentration, magnesium levels, grip strength of the dominant hand and tremor was examined. In addition, accelerometric recordings were taken and have been compared with 59 healthy subjects. Accelerometry has been performed in 3 conditions: rest, different postures and weighted postures. Mann-Whitney U test and multiple regression analyses were used for statistical analysis. Results: In rest, postural and weighted conditions, tremor amplitude was significantly higher in transplant recipients compared to heathy subjects. (Mdn=0.017 vs. Mdn= 0.014 in rest, Mdn= 0.038 vs. Mdn= 0.031 in postural condition, Mdn= 0.043 vs Mdn= 0.035 in weighted condition, p < 0.05) In rest (p=0.033, R² = 0.043), postural (p=0.000, R² = 0.107) and weighted conditions (p=0.010, R² = 0.057) only the blood concentration of tacrolimus is significantly and positively correlated with tremor amplitude. Conclusion: Although tremor amplitude is higher in transplant recipients, absolute tremor amplitude was very low. However a significant correlation between tacrolimus and tremor was found, only a small percentage of the variance in tremor amplitude can be explained by the concentration of tacrolimus. Based on our results we can conclude that the long term outcome for tremor related complaints in transplant recipients is favorable.

Item Type: Thesis (Thesis)
Supervisor name: Faculty supervisor: and Drost, G. MD and Research group: TransplantLines, Movement disorders and Elting, J.W.J. MD and Koning-Tijssen, M.A.J. de MD and PhD. and Lesman-Leegte, G.A.T. research coordinator neurosurgery and University Medical Center Groningen and Department of Neurology
Faculty: Medical Sciences
Date Deposited: 25 Jun 2020 10:44
Last Modified: 25 Jun 2020 10:44
URI: https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/543

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