Cardiovascular risk factors and cardiac disorders in long-term survivors of pediatric liver transplantation.

Abstract

The MetS and cardiovascular disease are leading causes of late morbidity in adult liver transplantation recipients; however, limited data are available in pediatric liver transplantation. A single-center retrospective review was undertaken for patients who had a liver transplantation before 18yr of age and were >5yr post-transplantation, to study the prevalence of MetS, its components, and cardiac disorders. Fifty-eight patients were included in the study with a mean age at transplantation of 6.3±6.1yr and mean follow-up of 14.1±6.0yr. Of the study group, 41.4% were overweight or obese, with ongoing prednisone use and increased duration of follow-up being significant risk factors. Fifty-three patients had sufficient data for determining MetS, which was present in 17% of the patients. Although the prevalence of MetS is low in pediatric liver transplant recipients, it is associated with CKD and prednisone therapy (p<0.05). Echocardiography data were available for 23 patients, of whom 43.4% had LVH and 13% had evidence of PH. The spectrum of cardiac disorders in this population is much wider than in adults.