LIPID DISORDERS BEFORE AND AFTER SUCCESFUL LIVER TRANSPLANTATION

Abstract

Objective: Liver transplantation (LTx) is the only successful treatment for end-stage liver disease. Long term results of liver transplantation not only depend upon graft survival but it may be also affected by superimposed cardiovascular morbidities. This single center, retrospective, clinical study was aimed to assess the prevalence of lipid disorders in patients before and after successful LTx. Design and method: One hundred eleven patients (mean age 49.7±12.2 years) who underwent Ltx because of liver cirrhosis and survived at least 2 years with functioning graft were included in this retrospective analysis. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was assessed before and two years after LTx. This was analyzed in relation to etiology of liver disease, including alcohol toxicity, viral or autoimmune diseases. Results: Before and after LTx the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia accompanied by hypercholesterolemia were 13.5% and 40.5%, (P<0.001), 17.1% and 51.4% r (P<0.001), as well as 7.2% and 27.9% (P<0.001) respectively. There was no significant differences in prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia (7.4% vs 10.0% vs 16.2%), hypercholesterolemia (14.8% vs 16.7% vs 14.2%) as well as hypertriglyceridemia accompanied by hypercholesterolemia (3.7% vs 3.3% vs 10.8%) in patients before LTx with the autoimmune, alcoholic and viral cause of liver cirrhosis, respectively. Two years after LTx the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia (18.5% vs 66.7%, P<0.001) and hypercholesterolemia (29.6% vs 70.0%, P = 0.002), as well as hypertriglyceridemia accompanied by hypercholesterolemia (14.8% vs 46.7%, P = 0.009) was significantly lower in patients with the autoimmune cause of liver cirrhosis in comparison to patients with the alcoholic liver disease. Conclusions: 1. The prevalence of dyslipidemia is increased after LTx. 2. The prevalence of dyslipidemia after LTx may be related to the cause of liver injury before LTx.