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Review
. 2015 Apr-Jun;28(2):183-192.

Metabolic and cardiovascular complications in the liver transplant recipient

Laura De Luca  1 , Rachel Westbrook  1 , Emmanuel A Tsochatzis  1
Affiliations
Review

Metabolic and cardiovascular complications in the liver transplant recipient

Laura De Luca et al. Ann Gastroenterol. 2015 Apr-Jun.

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is an established risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease that affects 20-30% of the adult population in the western world, correlating with increased incidence of cardiovascular disease. Survival following liver transplantation (LT) has been steadily improving over the last 2 decades, with graft loss becoming a relatively rare cause of morbidity and mortality post LT. The improvement in short-term survival following LT has resulted in an increased incidence of metabolic and cardiovascular complications, which affect the mid- and long term survival. Patients following LT typically gain weight and might develop diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia as a consequence of their immunosuppressive therapy and their lifestyle. In this paper we review the prevalence of metabolic and cardiovascular complications following LT, their impact on post-transplant morbidity and mortality and their optimal management.

Keywords: Liver transplantation; NAFLD; NASH; cardiovascular disease; diabetes mellitus; dyslipidemia; epidemiology; hypertension; metabolic syndrome; morbidity; mortality; obesity; risk factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Etiology of death in liver transplant recipients 1 year post transplant [20]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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