Haematology
| Full details for "Tacrolimus (FK506)". | |
|---|---|
Name |
Tacrolimus (FK506) |
Alternative name/Profile |
FK506 Prograf |
Department |
Haematology |
Investigation |
|
Specimen type |
Peripheral Blood |
Sample type |
|
Sample container & volume |
4ml EDTA Purple sample |
Frequency of analysis |
Batch analysis twice weekly on Tuesday and Friday |
Turnaround time |
4 working days - Urgent analysis available on request |
Availability |
Routine Hours 9am to 5pm Monday-Friday |
Notes |
Limitations of this assay: Heterophilic antibodies in human serum can react with reagent immunoglobulins, interfering with in vitro immunoassays. Patients routinely exposed to animals or to animal serum products can be prone to this. Please contact the laboratory 01 4162012 for further information regarding limitations of this assay. Purpose of test: Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressant which is used to prevent transplant rejection in patients with allograft transplants especially in kidney and liver transplants. Tacrolimus inhibits calcineurin which prevents T-cell activation. Tacrolimus is metabolised by the cytochrome P450 pathway, therefore drugs which affect the enzymes in this pathway may affect the tacrolimus concentration in the blood. Tacrolimus has a narrow therapeutic range. Inadequate dosage may lead to graft rejection. Toxic levels can cause nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity and susceptibility to infections. For these reasons tacrolimus levels need to be carefully controlled and regularly monitored. |
Related links |
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Reference range |
Therapeutic range: 5-15 ng/ml |
Last updated |
Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:27:12 GMT |