Prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in Brazilian renal transplant recipients.
OBJECTIVE
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of death in renal transplant recipients. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of CVD risk factors among Brazilian adult renal transplant recipients.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study included 192 cases in which the evaluated CVD risk factors were hypertension, diabetes mellitus, impaired fasting glucose, obesity, overweight, abdominal obesity, metabolic syndrome, and dyslipidemia.


RESULTS
Hypertension, abdominal obesity, and hypercholesterolemia were the highest prevalent risk factors among the total population with prevalences of approximately 60%. The prevalence of obesity was significantly higher (P < .001) in recipients with normal graft function (28%) than in those with impaired graft function (7%). Abdominal obesity was also higher (P = .02) in the normal graft function group (77%) than in recipients with creatinine clearance (CrCl) values <60 mL/min (61%). There were positive, significant correlations between CrCl and body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.47; P < .001) and between CrCl and waist circumference (WC) (r = 0.44; P < .001). BMI (r = 0.31; P < .001) and WC (r = 0.27; P < .001) were also positively associated with triglyceride levels. There were negative associations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (HDL-c) with BMI (r = -0.28; P < .01) and WC (r = -0.32; P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
The high prevalence of CVD risk factors among renal transplant recipients emphasizes the importance of taking appropriate therapeutic measures to reduce modifiable risk factors, reducing CVD and its consequences.
Souza
F C M
FC
Nutrition Division, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Silva
M I B
MI
Motta
E M
EM
Guimarães
S S M S
SS
Souza
E
E
Torres
M R S G
MR
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D016381:Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors