title: Serial evaluation of lipid profiles and risk factors for development of hyperlipidemia after cardiac transplantation.
abstract: To determine the prevalence, time course and factors responsible for hyperlipidemia after heart transplantation, 83 consecutive 1-year survivors were studied. By 1 year, 83% of patients had serum total cholesterol levels greater than 5.2 mmol/liter (200 mg/dl) and 28% of the patients had serum total cholesterol higher than the age- and sex-matched ninety-fifth percentile. At the end of 1-year follow-up, serum total cholesterol correlated with the recipient age (p less than 0.0001), the preoperative cholesterol level (p less than 0.001), the actual dose of maintenance prednisone at 1 year (p less than 0.02) and the cumulative 1-year steroid dose (p less than 0.03). Similarly, the serum triglyceride level at 1 year correlated with the pretransplant level of serum triglycerides (p less than 0.0001), recipient age (p less than 0.03) and cumulative 1-year steroid dose (p less than 0.03). Patients with a pretransplant diagnosis of coronary artery disease had a significantly higher level of serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels at 1 year (p less than 0.02 and p less than 0.03, respectively). Heart transplant recipients with body mass index greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2 also presented with significantly elevated serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels at 1 year compared with nonobese patients (p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.002, respectively). Hyperlipidemia occurs frequently and is detected within the first month after heart transplantation. Optimal management of this problem requires further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Division of Cardiology), University of Western Ontario, University Hospital, London, Canada.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rudas
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Pflugfelder
authors.forename: F N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Menkis
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Novick
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Kostuk
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000209:etiology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides