Background: The living kidney donor is exposed to the renal function impairment as a result of kidney donation, which may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It seems justified to identify cardiovascular risk factors prior to kidney donation.
Material and methods: We analyzed data of 50 consecutive potential kidney donors. All individuals underwent clinical examination and lipid profile. For each subject we calculated atherogenic index. To calculate the 10-year risk of cardiovascular death, the HeartScore calculator was used.
Results: The most frequent risk factors were obesity, lipid disorders, and smoking. In 72% of subjects, at least 1 of the risk factors was detected. Atherogenic index values considered to indicate high risk of atherosclerosis were found in 16% of subjects. More than 40% of subjects had more than 1 coronary risk factor, and most had 2. In 58% of subjects, the calculated HeartScore risk value was consistent with risk estimated for age, and in 26% it exceeded this value by 1-9% (mean, 3.1%).
Conclusions: The prevalence of coronary risk factors is high in potential kidney donors. HeartScore seems to be a useful method to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular mortality in these individuals, and is a simple tool to use in controlling the influence of the modification of risk factors on the global risk in follow-up. Comparison with the value of risk acceptable according to age and sex may oblige the physician to take action to reduce it.