Incidence of Cardiovascular Events After Renal Transplantation.

OBJECTIVES

Renal transplant recipients may present with transplant-specific risk factors related to end-stage renal disease. Although cardiovascular disease-related deaths may be reduced in renal transplant recipients, this disease is still the leading cause of death in patients with a functioning allograft. In this study, our aim was to determine the incidence of cardiovascular events after renal transplant.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This observational retrospective cohort study analyzed renal transplant recipients seen at Başkent University Hospital from 2014 to 2017. Posttransplant cardiovascular events were defined as presence of myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary interventions, new-onset angina, and death. Patient characteristics, traditionals cardiovascular risk factors, routine biochemistry, and other comorbidities were included in our analyses.

RESULTS

In total, 56 renal transplant recipients older than 18 years were included (mean age of 48.4 ± 11.3 years; 21.4% were female patients). In the patient group, 14.2% had coronary artery disease pre-transplant, and 1 patient had an acute myocardial infarction. Mean time from transplant to incidence of cardiovascular events (as shown by coronary angiography) was 9.34 ± 5.2 years. Thirty-six recipients (64.2%) had a cardiovascular event during this posttransplant period, and 6 patients who developed cardiovascular events were women. Five patients (8.9%) required bypass surgery after coronary angiography. Stent implantations were needed in 14 patients. The remaining patients received medical treatment decisions. Twenty-one patients had no acute or chronic cardiovascular events. One patient died because of noncardiac reasons (pulmonary aspergillosis). Two patients died after cardiac surgery, and 1 patient died because of decompensated heart failure.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of symptoms of cardiovascular disease is an important prognostic marker that requires cardiac evaluation. As with the general population, modifiable risk factors can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events in renal transplant recipients.