DYSLIPIDEMIA IN THE FIRST YEAR AFTER KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION AND CORRELATION WITH CYCLOSPORINE TROUGH LEVEL

Abstract

Aim: Post-transplant dyslipidemia is multifactorial complication. However, several classes of immunosuppressive agents appear to play a role. The objective of this study was to evaluate the most prominent lipid disorders in the first year after allogeneic kidney transplantation and to assess the correlation between cyclosporine (CsA) trough levels and lipid disorders. Methods: A total of 32 kidney transplant recipients divided in two groups with different CsA trough levels were enrolled in this study. All patients were on equal doses of other immunosuppressive agents and had stable graft function. CsA blood levels, plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) were measured after 12-14 fasting three months after transplantation. Pearson’s test and t-test were used for data analyses. Results: The most prominent lipid disorder was elevated TC, LDLc and TG. Statistical analysis showed that CsA was positively correlated with TC (r=0.369, p<0.05) and LDLc (r=0.372, p<0.05). In the first group (15 pts.) with CsA trough level above 200 ng/ml, the mean value of the TC was 7.29 ±1.19 mmol/l and of LDLc 4.83± 0.81 mmol/l. In the second group (17 pts.) with CsA trough level less than 200 mg/l, the average value of TC was 6.07 ± 1.02 mmol/l and of LDLc 3.81±1.19 mmol/l, which was significantly lower (p<0.01, for both) than in the first group. Conclusion: Higher CsA trough levels adversely affects plasma lipoprotein levels by increasing total cholesterol levels, primarily due to an increase in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level.