Long-term follow-up of the randomized, prospective Scandinavian heart transplant everolimus de novo study with early calcineurin inhibitors avoidance (SCHEDULE) trial
(2024) In Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation 43(12). p.1948-1959- Abstract
Background: Early substitution of calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) with mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors has been shown to improve kidney function and reduce intimal hyperplasia in heart transplant (HTx) recipients but data on long-term outcome of such a regime are still sparse. Methods: In the SCHEDULE trial, 115 de novo HTx recipients were randomized to (1) everolimus with reduced exposure of CNI followed by CNI withdrawal at week 7–11 post-transplant or (2) standard-exposure with CNI. Both groups received mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids. Herein we report on the 10–12-year long-term follow-up of the study. Results: A total of 78 patients attended the follow-up visit at a median time of 11 years post-transplant. In the... (More)
Background: Early substitution of calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) with mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors has been shown to improve kidney function and reduce intimal hyperplasia in heart transplant (HTx) recipients but data on long-term outcome of such a regime are still sparse. Methods: In the SCHEDULE trial, 115 de novo HTx recipients were randomized to (1) everolimus with reduced exposure of CNI followed by CNI withdrawal at week 7–11 post-transplant or (2) standard-exposure with CNI. Both groups received mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids. Herein we report on the 10–12-year long-term follow-up of the study. Results: A total of 78 patients attended the follow-up visit at a median time of 11 years post-transplant. In the everolimus intention to treat (ITT) group 87.5% (35/40 patients) still received everolimus and in the CNI ITT group 86.8% (33/38) still received CNI. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (least square mean (95% CI)) at the 10–12 years visit was 82.7 (74.2–91.1) ml/min/1.73 m2 and 61.0 (52.3–69.7) ml/min/1.73 m2 in the everolimus and CNI group, respectively (p < 0.001). Graft function measured by ejection fraction, ECG, NT-proBNP and drug safety were comparable between groups. During the study period there was a total of 28 deaths, but there was no difference in survival between the everolimus and the CNI group (aHR 0.61 (95% CI 0.29–1.30) p = 0.20). For the composite endpoint of death, re-transplantation, myocardial infarction, PCI, dialysis, kidney transplantation or cancer no between group differences were found (aHR 1.0 (95% CI 0.57–1.77) p = 0.99). Conclusions: De novo HTx patients randomized to everolimus and low dose CNI followed by CNI free therapy sustained significantly better long-term kidney function than patients randomized to standard therapy. The graft function at 10–12 years was similar in both groups and there was no difference in survival.
(Less)
- author
- author collaboration
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-12
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- calcineurin inhibitor, everolimus, graft function, heart transplantation, survival
- in
- Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation
- volume
- 43
- issue
- 12
- pages
- 12 pages
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85199959251
- pmid:39038562
- ISSN
- 1053-2498
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.healun.2024.07.002
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 69cc5ea3-370e-4a2d-9fe7-a3fa401b2e48
- date added to LUP
- 2024-12-02 11:21:13
- date last changed
- 2025-07-15 05:19:36
@article{69cc5ea3-370e-4a2d-9fe7-a3fa401b2e48,
abstract = {{<p>Background: Early substitution of calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) with mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors has been shown to improve kidney function and reduce intimal hyperplasia in heart transplant (HTx) recipients but data on long-term outcome of such a regime are still sparse. Methods: In the SCHEDULE trial, 115 de novo HTx recipients were randomized to (1) everolimus with reduced exposure of CNI followed by CNI withdrawal at week 7–11 post-transplant or (2) standard-exposure with CNI. Both groups received mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids. Herein we report on the 10–12-year long-term follow-up of the study. Results: A total of 78 patients attended the follow-up visit at a median time of 11 years post-transplant. In the everolimus intention to treat (ITT) group 87.5% (35/40 patients) still received everolimus and in the CNI ITT group 86.8% (33/38) still received CNI. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (least square mean (95% CI)) at the 10–12 years visit was 82.7 (74.2–91.1) ml/min/1.73 m<sup>2</sup> and 61.0 (52.3–69.7) ml/min/1.73 m<sup>2</sup> in the everolimus and CNI group, respectively (p < 0.001). Graft function measured by ejection fraction, ECG, NT-proBNP and drug safety were comparable between groups. During the study period there was a total of 28 deaths, but there was no difference in survival between the everolimus and the CNI group (aHR 0.61 (95% CI 0.29–1.30) p = 0.20). For the composite endpoint of death, re-transplantation, myocardial infarction, PCI, dialysis, kidney transplantation or cancer no between group differences were found (aHR 1.0 (95% CI 0.57–1.77) p = 0.99). Conclusions: De novo HTx patients randomized to everolimus and low dose CNI followed by CNI free therapy sustained significantly better long-term kidney function than patients randomized to standard therapy. The graft function at 10–12 years was similar in both groups and there was no difference in survival.</p>}},
author = {{Bollano, Entela and Andreassen, Arne K. and Eiskjaer, Hans and Gustafsson, Finn and Rådegran, Göran and Gude, Einar and Gullestad, Lars and Broch, Kaspar and Halden, Thea A.S. and Karason, Kristjan and Bartfay, Sven Erik and Bergh, Niklas}},
issn = {{1053-2498}},
keywords = {{calcineurin inhibitor; everolimus; graft function; heart transplantation; survival}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{12}},
pages = {{1948--1959}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation}},
title = {{Long-term follow-up of the randomized, prospective Scandinavian heart transplant everolimus de novo study with early calcineurin inhibitors avoidance (SCHEDULE) trial}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healun.2024.07.002}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.healun.2024.07.002}},
volume = {{43}},
year = {{2024}},
}