Review Article

Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Inhibitors and Wound Healing Complications in Kidney Transplantation: Old Myths and New Realities

Table 4

Summaries of randomized control trial performed on EVL.

ReferenceJournal/year/designInductionArms comparedEVL doseEVL levelFinding

Vitko et al. [13]Am J Transplant/2004/2 open label RCT studiesStudy 1: without basiliximab
Study 2: with basiliximab
EVL 1.5 mg-CsA-Pred vs.
EVL 3 mg-CsA-Pred without basiliximab
vs.
EVL 1.5 mg-CsA-Pred vs.
EVL 3 mg-CsA-P ped with basiliximab
Both arms, two doses of EVL 1.5 mg/day vs. 3 mg/day>3 ng/m LStudy 1: 15.2% had lymphocele in 1.5 mg group as compared to 6.4% in 3 mg group
Study 2:
lymphocele was found in 10.3% in 1.5 mg EVL group as compared to 7.2% in 3 mg group
No comment on value
Vítko et al. [128]Am J Transplant/2005/double blind RCT study----------------1-EVL-CsA-Pred
2- EVL-CsA-Pred
3-MMF-CsA-Pred
1.5 mg/day
3 mg/day
>3 ng/m LLymphocele occurred in 9% in EVL 1.5 mg-CsA-Pred as compared
12% in EVL 3 mg-CsA-Pred group and 4% in MMF-CsA-Pred ( value not significant)
Lorber et al. [129]Transplantation/2005/open label RCT studyMethyl prednisolone1-EVL-CsA-Pred
2- EVL-CsA-Pred
3-MMF-CsA-Pred
1.5 mg/day
3mg/day
>3 ng/m LLymphocele occurred in EVL 1.5 mg group in 16.1%, 18.6% in EVL 3 mg, and 12.2% in MMF-CsA-Pred group.
value was insignificant
Chan et al. [130]Transplantation/2008/open label RCT studyBasiliximab1-EVL-low-dose TAC-Pred
2-evl-standard-dose TAC-Pred
1.5 mg/day>3 ng/mLWound infection (4.1%), dehiscence (2.1%), and lymphocele (4.1%) occurred in low-dose TAC
Wound infection (2.3%), dehiscence (4.7%), and lymphocele (2.3%) occurred in standard-dose TAC. No P value given
Margreiter et al. [131]Transplantation/2008/pool analysis of 4 RCT trial-------------------1-MMF-CsA-Pred
2-EVL (1.5 mg/day or 3 mg/day-low-dose CsA-Pred
1.5 mg/day
or 3 mg/day
3–8 ng/mLWound infection, dehiscence, and lymphocele (4.1% occurred in 9.7%, 3.6%, and 8.4% of MMF group, respectively, in EVL group wound infections were 11.4%, dehiscence was in 6.1%, and lymphocele in 7.5 % similar complication rates. No P value given
Albano et al. [132]Transplantation/2009/open label RCT studyBasiliximab/daclizumab1-immediate EVL (Day 1)-CsA-Pred
2-delayed EVL (from week 5)
MMF was given till week 5 along with CsA-Pred
0.75 mg twice a day adjusted to achieve 3–8 ng/mLC0 = 3–8 ng/mLWound healing complication at week 4 was 23.1% vs.29.7% in immediate vs. delayed EVL group (P0.444)
Wound healing complication at 3 months was 36.9% vs. 37.8% in immediate vs. delayed EVL group (P = 1)
Fluid collection at week 4 was 23.1% vs. 25.7% in immediate vs. delayed EVL group
Salvadori et al. [14]Transplantation/2009/open label randomized control trialBasiliximab1-EVL-low-dose CsA-Pred
2- EVL-very low-dose CsA-Pred
0.75 mg twice a day adjusted to achieve 3–8 ng/mL
0.75 mg twice a day adjusted to achieve 3–8 ng/mL during first week and then adjusted to achieve 6–12 ng/mL
C0 = 3–8 ng/m L
C0 = 6–12 ng/mL
Lymphocele in 15.4%
Lymphocele in 21.1%
The findings were not significant
Silva et al. [133]Am J Transplant/2010/open label RCT studyBasiliximab1-EVL (1.5 mg/day)-low-dose CsA-Pred
2-evl (3 mg/day)-low-dose CsA-Pred
2-MMF-CsA-Pred
1.5 mg/day
3 mg/day
3–8 ng/ml
6–12 ng/mL
Lymphocele occurred in 6.6%, 11.2%, and 5.1% in low-dose EVL, high-dose EVL, and MMF, respectively.
Impaired wound healing occurred in 1.8%, 4%, and 1.1% in low-dose EVL, high-dose EVL, and MMF, respectively
Wound dehiscence occurred in 1.5%, 3.2%, and 1.5% in low-dose EVL, high-dose EVL, and MMF, respectively
No comment on value for either of the finding
Dantal et al. [10]Transpl Int/2010/open label RCT studyBasiliximab/daclizumab1-immediate EVL (Day 1)-CsA-Pred
2-delayed EVL (from week 5)
MMF was given till week 5 along with CsA-Pred
0.75 mg twice a day adjusted to achieve 3–8 ng/mLC0 = 3–8 ng/mL
in both the groups
Wound healing complications were 40% immediate group and 37.8% delayed group at 12 months respectfully ( = 0.86 NS)
Wound healing complications were 36.9% in immediate group and 33.8% in delayed group at 12 months respectfully (-NS)
Cooper et al. [134]Clin Transplant/2013/pool analysis of three RCT studies----------------1-EVL (1.5 mg/day)-CsA-Pred
2-evl (3 mg/day)-CsA-Pred
3-MMF-CsA-
1.5 or 3.0 mg or MPA, with CsA and steroids
1.5 mg/day
3 mg/day
------------------Wound healing complication was 16.6% in 1.5 mg/day in EVL as compared to 14.3% in MMF ( = 0.255)
But, it was 21.8% in EVL 3 mg/day significantly higher in MMF group ( < 0.001)
Cibrik et al. [135]Transplantation/2013/open label RCT studyBasiliximab1-EVL (3–8 ng/ml) + reduced exposure CsA + Pred
2- EVL (6–12 ng/ml) + reduced exposure CsA + Pred
3-MMF-standard CsA + Pred
Dose was adjusted to get level 3–8 ng/mL
Dose was adjusted to get level 6–12 ng/mL
C0 = 3–8 ng/mlc0 = 6–12 ng/mLRare wound healing events of 0.4% in EVL (3–8 ng/mL), 0.7% in EVL (6–12 ng/mL), and 1% in MMF group
Chadban et al. [136]Transpl Int/2014/open label RCT studyBasiliximab1-CsA-MPS-Pred for 14 days, then EVL-Pred (CsA and MPS withdrawal)
2-CsA-mps-Pred for 14 days. then EVL-CsA (Pred and MPS withdrawal)
3-CsA-mps-Pred
Dose adjusted for first 15 to 60 days to achieve level 6–10 ng/mL
From 61–120 days in CsA-MPA withdrawal group dose adjusted to level of 8–12 ng/mL. In Pred-MPA withdrawal group, EVL C0 level was kept at 6–10 ng/mL
15–60 days: both groups EVL C0 level = 6–10 ng/mL
61-120 days:
CsA-MPA WD : EVL = CO = 8–12/ng/mL
Pred-CNI WD : 
EVL = C0 = 6–10 ng/mL
Nonsignificant wound healing complication occurred in CsA-MPA WD (33%), Pred-MPA WD withdrawal (30%), and 32% in CsA-MMF-Pred
Nashan et al. [137]Am J Transplant/2016/open label RCT studyRandomization after 10–14 weeks:
1-evl-mps-Pred
2-CsA/TAC-mps-Pred
EVL CO = 6–10 ng/mLCO = 6–10 ng/mLWound healing events were similar in both the arms (EVR, 6.6 vs. CNI, 5.8%;  = 0.66
The incidence of patients with wound problem was similar in ≤25 percentile BMI category (EVR, 0.9 vs. CNI, 0.8%;  = 0.846). The incidence was higher in EVR arm in >25–≤50 (2.6 vs. 1.1%;  = 0.271) and significantly higher in >50–≤75 categories (2.0 vs. 0.6%;  = 0.049).
Qazi et al. [138]Am J Transplant/2017/open label RCT studyBasiliximab or ATG1-EVL-low-dose TAC-Pred
2-MMF-standard-dose TAC-Pred
EVR 0.75 mg twice a day (1.5 mg/day)C0 = 3–8 ng/mLFluid collection (lymphocele, seroma, urinoma, and hematoma) adjacent to transplant was 22.5% (EVL) vs.15% (MMF)
Delayed wound healing was 16.7% (EVL) vs. (11.8%)
de Fijter et al. [9]Am J Transplant/2017/open label RCT studyBasiliximabTAC or CsA-MPA-Pred for 10–14 weeks, then randomized to1-evl-mps-Pred
2-TAC or CsA-mps-Pred
Dose adjusted to CO level 6–10 ng/mLC0 = 6–10 ng/mLWound healing events were similar between groups 5.8% (CNI) vs. 6.5% (EVL)
Ueno et al. [105],
ATG
Transplantation/2017/subanalysis of open label RCT studyATG/basiliximab1-ATG followed by EVL-TAC-Pred
2-basiliximab followed by EVL-TAC-Pred
3-basiliximab followed by MPS-TAC-Pred
Dose adjusted to get level C0 = 4–8 ng/mL
Dose adjusted to get level C0 = 4–8 ng/mL
C0 = 4–8 ng/mL
C0 = 4–8 ng/mL
Basiliximab-EVL group has 35.2% wound healing complication vs. 22% in basiliximab-MPS ( = 0.033)
Tedesco-Silva et al. [69]J Am Soc Nephrol/2018/Open label RCT studyBasiliximab/ATG1-EVL-TAC or CsA-Pred
2-mmf or MPS –TAC or CsA-Pred
EVL dose was 1.5 mg or 0.75 mg twice a day in TAC or CsAC0 = 3–8 ng/mLWound healing was 19.8% in EVL group as compared to 16.2% with relative risk 1.22 (1.01 to 1.47)
Sommerer et al. [139]Kidney International/2019/open label RCT studyBasiliximab1-EVL-TAC-Pred
2-EVL-CsA-Pred
3-MMF-TAC-Pred
EVL dose was adjusted to C0 = 3–8 ng/mLC0 = 3–8 ng/mLWound healing was 30.5%, 28.3%, and 33.3% in the three groups, respectively, and did not differ in three groups.
Lymphocele occurred in 18.1%, 24%, and 20.1% of the three groups, respectively
Manzia et al. [18],
IR VS. DR
Transplantation/2020/open label RCT studyIL-2 receptor antibodies/ATG1-immediate (IE) EVR-low CsA-Pred
2-delayed group (DE):MPS-CsA-Pred for 28 days followed by EVR-low CsA-Pred
EVL 0.75 mg BIDC0 = 3–8 ng/mLWound healing complications included in IE were fluid collection (17%), lymphocele (10%), and wound dehiscence (6%), which were not different at 3 months as compared to DE group
At 12 months, wound healing complications between IE and DE groups were not significant except hematoma which was significant in IE group ( = 0.02380) as compared to DE and lymphocele was more in DE group as compared to IE group (P0.0368)