Cholestasis in heart transplant recipients treated with cyclosporine.

Cyclosporine-A is being used increasingly for immunosuppression in patients undergoing organ transplantation. Hepatotoxicity has been noted to occur in up to 20% of renal transplant recipients receiving the drug. The exact nature of this hepato-toxicity, however, has not been defined, although it has been manifested principally, if not exclusively, as elevated serum bilirubin levels. The authors have observed a similar elevation of serum bilirubin levels in cardiac transplant recipients receiving cyclosporine-A and prednisone for immunosuppression.