Severe mucosal hyperplasia of the edentulous maxilla associated with immunosuppressant therapy: A clinical report

c yclosporin i.s a selective immunosuppressant that is used extensively in organ transplant surgery to prevent graft rejection.’ The drug has many unwanted effects,2 but of particular concern to the dental surgeon is the association between chronic use of this drug and gingival overgrowth.3V8 This unwanted effect has been reported in approximately a third of dentate transplant patients taking cyclosporin.8 The prevalence increases to nearly 50 % when both cyclosporin and nifedipine, a dihydropyridine derivative, are used eoncomitantly.8, g Young patients appear to be more susceptible to cyclosporin-induced gingival changes than adults.1° Although gingival overgrowth associated with cyclosporin and the calcium channel blocking agents is well documented, drug-associated overgrowth of masticatory mucosa in edentulous patients is rare. We report such a case in a renal transplant patient.