Cardiovascular disease burden and risk factors before and after kidney transplant

Cardiovasc Hematol Disord Drug Targets. 2014;14(3):185-94. doi: 10.2174/1871529x14666140401112654.

Abstract

Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the most common cause of mortality among kidney transplant candidates on the waiting-list and after kidney transplantation. The mechanisms of cardiovascular disease burden after transplant are multifactorial and the risk is largely determined by pre-transplant factors including CV disease and dialysis duration. Current pre-transplant cardiac evaluation protocols have proven to be inconsistent in predicting adverse cardiovascular outcome post-transplant. However, multiple biomarkers have been recognized as predictors of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events including graft function, hemoglobin, homocysteine, C - reactive protein among others. Of these, elevation in the biomarker cardiac troponin T appears to be a significant predictor of cardiovascular events and mortality among wait-listed kidney transplant candidates and after transplantation. The relationship between CV risk reduction, normalization of cardiac troponin T levels and restoration of renal function after kidney transplant is complex but opens opportunities for the use of cardiac troponin T and other cardiovascular biomarkers as important endpoints of clinical interventions in kidney transplant recipients.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / mortality
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Cost of Illness*
  • Humans
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / complications
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / surgery
  • Kidney Transplantation*
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Biomarkers