Effects of immunosuppressive drugs on serum lipid levels in renal transplant recipients.
BACKGROUND
Hyperlipidemia is an important metabolic disorder that is common among renal transplant recipients. This study investigated the possible effects of transplantation and immunosuppressive drugs on lipid profiles in this patient group.


METHODS
We retrospectively evaluated the records of 179 patients who underwent renal transplantation between 1996 and 2000, recording lipid profile findings-total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), and triglyceride (TG)-before and at least 6 months after transplantation. We also recorded patient demographics, underlying renal disorder, and immunosuppressive drug regimens.


RESULTS
Sixty-nine (38.5%) patients were women and 110 men (61.5%). The mean age (+/- SD) of the 179 recipients was 35.7 +/- 11.8 years (range, 11 to 62 years). The respective pre- versus posttransplantation lipid profile findings were: TC, 171.6 +/- 42.4 mg/dL versus 204.7 +/- 45.3 mg/dL, P < .001; LDLc, 114.5 +/- 34.5 mg/dL versus 142.2 +/- 39.7 mg/dL, P < .001; HDLc, 46.7 +/- 13.6 mg/dL versus 42.5 +/- 12.3 mg/dL, P = .001; TG, 142.9 +/- 55.7 mg/dL versus 178.8 +/- 71.8 mg/dL, P < .001. Increased lipid levels were found to be independent of patient age, sex, donor type, and immunosuppressive drug regimen.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggested that antihyperlipidemic drugs should be administered routinely to renal transplant recipients irrespective of the immunosuppressive drug regimen or graft source.
Kanbay
M
M
Department of Internal medicine, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. drkanbay@yahoo.com
Yildirir
A
A
Akcay
A
A
Colak
T
T
Ozdemir
F N
FN
Muderrisoglu
H
H
Haberal
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008055:Lipids