Gastrointestinal and Health-related Quality of Life Outcomes in Patients With Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplants

Measurement of Patient Reported Gastrointestinal (GI) and Health-related Quality of Life (HRQL) Outcomes in Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplant Recipients

Treatment with the immunosuppressive drug mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) may result in gastrointestinal (GI) complications in some patients. This study will assess if a switch from MMF to enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS) results in improved GI and/or health-related quality of life outcomes and determine the proportion of pancreas-kidney transplant recipients who experience any GI complaints under MMF-based immunosuppressive treatment.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Received simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplant at least 3 months prior to study enrollment
• Receiving immunosuppressive regimen that includes MMF in combination with other immunosuppressive drugs (i.e., a calcineurin inhibitor, a mTOR inhibitor, steroids at least for three months at time of study enrollment)
• Receiving MMF for at least 1 month prior to enrollment; maximal MMF dose 2000 mg/d.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with any known hypersensitivity to mycophenolic acid, mycophenolate sodium, mycophenolate mofetil or other components of the formulations (e.g. lactose; see also SCP of EC-MPS)
• If applicable, GI symptoms assumed or known to be induced by other drugs or infections (e.g. oral biphosphonates induced, infectious diarrhea)
• Acute rejection < 1 month prior to study enrollment

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply.