title: Pro-atherosclerotic markers and cardiovascular risk factors one year after liver transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate pro-atherosclerotic markers (endothelial dysfunction and inflammation) in patients one year after liver transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four consecutive liver transplant (LT) outpatients who were admitted between August 2009 and July 2010, were followed-up by for 1 year, exhibited no evidences of infection or rejection, all of them underwent tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive regimens were consecutively enrolled. Inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IFNγ, IL-8, and IL-10), endothelial biomarkers (sVCAM-1, sICAM-1, MPO, adiponectin, PAI-1, SAP, SAA, E-selectin, and MMP-9), high sensitive C-reactive protein, and Framingham risk score (FRS) were assessed. The anthropometric data, aminotransferases, metabolic syndrome features, glucose and lipid profiles, and insulin resistance data were also collected. The LT recipients were compared to 22 biopsy-proven non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients and 20 healthy controls (non-obese, non-diabetics, and non-dyslipidemic).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The LT recipients had significantly younger ages and lower body mass indices, aminotransferases, fasting glucose and insulin levels, glucose homeostasis model and metabolic syndrome features than the NASH patients. Classic cardiovascular risk markers, such as Hs-CRP and FRS [2.0 (1.0-8.75)], were lower in the LT patients compared to those observed in the NASH patients (P = 0.009). In contrast, the LT recipients and NASH patients had similar inflammatory and endothelial serum markers compared to the controls (pg/mL): lower IL-10 levels (32.3 and 32.3 vs 62.5, respectively, P = 0.019) and higher IFNγ (626.1 and 411.9 vs 67.9, respectively, P < 0.001), E-selectin (48.5 and 90.03 vs 35.7, respectively, P < 0.001), sVCAM-1 (1820.6 and 1692.4 vs 1167.2, respectively, P < 0.001), and sICAM-1 (230.3 and 259.7 vs 152.9, respectively, P = 0.015) levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-obese LT recipients have similar pro-atherosclerotic serum profiles after a short 1-year follow-up period compared to NASH patients, suggesting a high risk of atherosclerosis in this population.
authors.affiliation: Mario Reis Alvares-da-Silva, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Division of Liver and Gastrointestinal Transplant (LIM-37), Department of Gastroenterology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, 05508-070 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mario Reis
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Alvares-da-Silva
authors.affiliation: Mario Reis Alvares-da-Silva, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Division of Liver and Gastrointestinal Transplant (LIM-37), Department of Gastroenterology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, 05508-070 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudia Pinto Marques Souza
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Mario Reis Alvares-da-Silva, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Division of Liver and Gastrointestinal Transplant (LIM-37), Department of Gastroenterology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, 05508-070 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Tadeu
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Stefano
authors.affiliation: Mario Reis Alvares-da-Silva, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Division of Liver and Gastrointestinal Transplant (LIM-37), Department of Gastroenterology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, 05508-070 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hermes V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Barbeiro
authors.affiliation: Mario Reis Alvares-da-Silva, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Division of Liver and Gastrointestinal Transplant (LIM-37), Department of Gastroenterology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, 05508-070 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barbeiro
authors.affiliation: Mario Reis Alvares-da-Silva, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Division of Liver and Gastrointestinal Transplant (LIM-37), Department of Gastroenterology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, 05508-070 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.affiliation: Mario Reis Alvares-da-Silva, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Division of Liver and Gastrointestinal Transplant (LIM-37), Department of Gastroenterology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, 05508-070 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alberto Queiroz
authors.initials: AQ
authors.lastname: Farias
authors.affiliation: Mario Reis Alvares-da-Silva, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Division of Liver and Gastrointestinal Transplant (LIM-37), Department of Gastroenterology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, 05508-070 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flair José
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Carrilho
authors.affiliation: Mario Reis Alvares-da-Silva, Luiz Augusto Carneiro D'Albuquerque, Division of Liver and Gastrointestinal Transplant (LIM-37), Department of Gastroenterology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, 05508-070 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Augusto Carneiro
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: D'Albuquerque
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Cell adhesion molecules; Endothelial biomarkers; Metabolic syndrome; Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis