Cyclosporine: C2 Level - Whole Blood

Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressant used to lower the natural defences of the body. It is generally used after an organ transplant to ensure that the immune system does not reject the new organ.

After a successful organ transplant, the immune system may single out the graft as a foreign body and attack it, similar to how it handles foreign bacteria or viruses. Due to this, the transplanted organ might get rejected by the immune system and not work as intended. The immunosuppressant cyclosporine inhibits the ability of certain white blood cells (WBCs) to respond to foreign bodies.

It is commonly used in the transplant of kidneys, heart, liver, and other organs. In addition, cyclosporine has also found use in the treatment of some autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, aplastic anaemia, and Crohn's disease. It achieves this by controlling the immune response in these cases, which helps decrease the severity of the symptoms.

The cyclosporine C2 level test is a blood test that measures the level of cyclosporine in the body. The cyclosporine C2 level whole blood test is done to ensure that the level of this immunosuppressant in the blood is normal. If the drug is more than the required amount, it can cause toxicity in the body. Some of the symptoms related to cyclosporine toxicity are:

• High blood pressure
• Bleeding, swelling, and overgrowing of gums
• An abnormally high amount of lipids in the body
• Liver damage, resulting in jaundice
• Unusual readings on the complete blood count test

A lower amount may result in organ rejection, or the symptoms of autoimmune disorders may reappear.

The procedure for the cyclosporine C2 level whole blood test is that of a standard blood test. The clinical lab technician draws blood from a vein in the arm, usually at the bend of the elbow. The blood is then stored in a labelled sample and sent for further analysis.

The test is usually done 2 hours post-dose, as it may help gauge the cyclosporine levels better and provide a better estimate of drug exposure. It is better suited to predicting acute rejection, if applicable, and altering the course of treatment accordingly.

Apollo 24|7 offers the cyclosporine C2 level whole blood test that is performed after an organ transplant due to the following reasons:

• To check if any existing medication overlaps with cyclosporine and hinders its function.
• To track variation in blood levels, if applicable, due to the varying brands of the drug.
• In the case of autoimmune disorders, the drug levels should be high enough to provide relief from symptoms.

The monitoring of cyclosporine levels can help doctors understand the effectiveness of the drug, as well as handle any complications that may arise.
 

Medically reviewed by Dr. Saibal Moitra, Allergist and clinical immunologist, Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata.