Cardiovascular risk factors in 116 patients 5 years or more after liver transplantation

Transpl Int. 2002 Nov;15(11):556-62. doi: 10.1007/s00147-002-0464-3. Epub 2002 Oct 2.

Abstract

We assessed the cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in 116 stable liver transplant patients surviving for 5 years or more (median: 102 months). The prevalence of smokers was 29.3%, hypertension 49.1%, obesity 22.4%, hypercholesterolemia 34.5%, hypertriglyceridemia 11.2%, and hyperhomocysteinemia 57.8%. Diabetes was found in 21.5% of the patients, being more frequent in patients with hepatitis-C-virus infection (31.8% vs 15.3%; P=0.03). Patients on cyclosporine therapy had a higher prevalence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and hyperhomocysteinemia than those treated with tacrolimus. Multivariate analysis showed only an association between cyclosporine therapy and cholesterol concentrations (odds ratio:1.02; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00-1.03; P=0.01). The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia was lower at the time of the study than at 1 and 3 years after transplantation ( P<0.05), probably related to steroid withdrawal. Comparing 87 patients' CVRFs with the general Spanish population, we found that the age-gender standardized prevalence ratio was not different: smoking 1.46 (95% CI: 0.88-1.76), obesity 1.16 (95% CI: 0.60-1.44), hypertension 1.55 (95% CI: 0.98-1.81), and hypercholesterolemia 0.64 (95%CI: 0.35-1.90). We conclude that the prevalence of CVRFs in liver transplant patients after 5 years or more is lower that found in the first years after the transplantation, and no different from that found within the Spanish population.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / epidemiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hyperhomocysteinemia / epidemiology
  • Hyperlipidemias / epidemiology
  • Hypertension / epidemiology
  • Incidence
  • Liver Transplantation*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Obesity / epidemiology
  • Postoperative Period
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Distribution
  • Smoking
  • Time Factors