title: Carotid intima-media thickness after pediatric renal or liver transplantation at high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography.
abstract: In a previous study, we observed a higher incidence of dyslipidemia in pediatric renal recipients compared with liver recipients. In the present study, we measured common carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) in 13 pediatric renal recipients, 9 liver recipients, and 26 control individuals with median age of 11.4, 10.8, and 12.0 years, respectively. The patients were studied from 0.2 to 10.8 years after renal transplantation (RTx) or liver transplantation (LTx). An experienced radiologist (T.K.) blinded to the status of the children measured the IMT using a high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography method. In patients who underwent RTx or LTx, serum fasting lipid profile, estimates of renal and liver function, and glucose metabolism were determined. Children undergoing RTx or LTx more often had hypertension compared with the control individuals (P = .004). Before transplantation, dyslipidemia was greater in patients undergoing RTx compared with those undergoing LTx (P < .05). Children who underwent RTx, compared with those who underwent LTx or control individuals, had thicker mean IMT at the 6 sites measured (mean [SD], 0.57 [0.07], 0.51 [0.05], and 0.53 [0.06] mm, respectively; P = .02]. As a result of linear regression in renal recipients, variability of glomerular filtration rate (<60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) vs normal) accounted for 43.3% of variability of the mean of maximal IMT (B = 8.9; SE = 3.1; P = .01). Variability of pre-RTx serum triglyceride concentration (B = 1.6; SE = 0.6; P = .03) and actual triglyceride concentration (B = 10.3; SE = 2.2; P = .002) accounted for 82.2% of variability of maximal IMT. Our findings support previous data on the importance of maintenance of good graft function with sufficient but not overly efficient immunosuppression after transplantation in prevention of future cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland. arja.siirtola@uta.fi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siirtola
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kallio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ala-Houhala
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehtimäki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Solakivi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antikainen
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Salo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holmberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000276:immunology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000276:immunology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol