Objective: Liver transplantation (LTx) is the only effective method of treating end-stage insufficiency of the liver. Coexisting chronic kidney disease (CKD) in these patients may worsen the long-term prognosis. The aim of this retrospective, a 1-center, observational study, was to determine the prevalence and predisposing factors of CKD in patients in the long run after LTx.
Patients and method: Medical records were obtained, and the 130 patients after LTx (with a mean age of 49.3 ± 11.9 years) who completed the 24-month follow-up period were enrolled in the study. CKD was diagnosed in patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or who had proteinuria for at least 3 months. Results are presented as means with standard deviation.
Results: CKD was found in 17% of the patients before liver transplantation and in 32% and 39% 12 and 24 months after LTx, respectively. The eGFR values before, 12 months after, and 24 months after LTx were 98.6 ± 48.3, 79.1 ± 29.6, and 76.9 ± 21.3 mL/kg/1.73 m2, respectively. The prevalence of CKD was lower in transplant patients with an autoimmune disease (25%) compared with viral (52%) and ethanol abuse (47%) liver cirrhosis etiology (chi-square: P = .04; post hoc analyses: autoimmune vs viral; P = .01; autoimmune vs ethanol abuse; P = .07). A significant negative correlation was found between trough blood tacrolimus concentration and eGFR 12 and 24 months after LTx (P < .05).
Conclusions: The prevalence of CKD in patients after liver transplantation seems to be higher than in the general population. Patients with autoimmune etiology of the liver disease have better renal function than patients with viral or ethanol abuse liver cirrhosis etiology. Treatment with calcineurin inhibitors adversely influences renal function in patients after liver transplantations.
Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.