Cardiovascular disease in kidney transplant patients

Dr.med.sci. Daniela Lončar
Clinical Center Tuzla, Clinic for Internal diseases, Bosnia and Herzegovina 
Abstract


Introduction:Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in kidney transplant patients. Patients on hemodialysis have a 10-20 times greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to the general population.The risk of cardiovascular disease may differ in hemodialysis patients and kidney transplant patients.Aims:To determine the frequency of risk factors for occurrence of cardiovascular disease and frequency of cardiovascular diseases in kidney transplant patients and patients on chronic hemodialysis.Subjects and method:We compared the frequency of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and the incidence of cardiovascular disease in kidney transplant patients and hemodialysis patients.Patients were divided into two groups: kidney transplant patients (60 patients) and patients treated with hemodialysis (30 patients). Results:The incidence of non-traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease in kidney transplant patients was as following: hypertension 30% , diabetes mellitus 23.3%, 26.67% active smoking, dyslipidemia 41.67 %.Congestive heart failure had 3,33% kidney transplant patients and 16,67% patients treated with hemodialysis. Hypertension had 30% kidney transplant patients and 66,67% patients treated with hemodialysis. Left ventricular hypertrophy had 50% kidney transplant patients and 76,67% patients treated with hemodialysis.Coronary heart disease had 13,33%  kidney transplant patients and 36,67% patients treated with hemodialysis.Atrial fibrilation had 10% kidney transplant patients and 26,67% patients treated with hemodialysis.Mitral regurgation had 33,33% kidney transplant patients and 56,67% patients treated with hemodialysis.Aortic regurgitation had 15% kidney transplant patients and 33,33% patients treated with hemodialysis.Conclusion:We find statistically significant differences in the frequency of cardiovascular disease between kidney transplant patients and patients treated with hemodialysis.