Impact of weight variation on the metabolic stability of cardiac transplant patients in the state of Ceara.
BACKGROUND
Weight changes frequently occur after cardiac transplantation (CT) and increase the risk of secondary diseases.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the impact of weight variation on serum levels of glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides of cardiac transplant patients.


METHODS
Retrospective documentary study conducted with 82 adult patients undergoing CT between October 1997 and December 2005 in the State of Ceara, Brazil. A total of 83% of the patients were male and the mean age was 45.06+/-12.04 years. The variables studied were biopathological profile, weight, and body mass index (BMI) in relation to biochemical and metabolic changes. Data were described using frequencies, measures of central tendency, Student's t test and Pearson's correlation coefficient.


RESULTS
The mean overall BMI increased from 23.77+/-3.68 kg/m2 prior to CT, to 25.48+/-3.92 kg/m2 in the first year and to 28.38+/-4.97 kg/m2 in the fifth. Overweight/obese patients (BMI > or = 25 kg/m2) showed mean values of glucose, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglycerides higher than those of normal-weight/underweight patients (BMI < 25 kg/m2).


CONCLUSIONS
There was a significant direct relation between nutritional state and weight variability on the metabolic profile of cardiac transplant patients.
Carlos
Daniele Maria de Oliveira
DM
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Fortaleza, CE - Brazil.
França
Francisco Clineu Queiroz
FC
Sousa Neto
João David de
JD
Silva
Carlos Antonio Bruno da
CA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D001938:Brazil; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D001786:Blood Glucose; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol