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Higher Tacrolimus Blood Concentration Is Related to Hyperlipidemia in Living Donor Liver Transplantation Recipients

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Abstract

Background

The arrival of tacrolimus has drastically improved AALDLT recipients’ survival. However, little data of tacrolimus have been reported concerning its effects on lipid metabolism for AALDLT recipients.

Aim

Out aim was to investigate the relationship between tacrolimus blood concentration and lipid metabolism in AALDLT recipients.

Methods

The pre and postoperative data of 77 adult patients receiving AALDLT between 2002 and December 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. The postoperative immune suppressive regimen was prednisone with tacrolimus ± mycophenolate mofetil. Prednisone was withdrawn within the first postoperative month. Blood lipids and tacrolimus concentration were detected at the first, third, and sixth month during follow-up. Episodes of acute rejection were diagnosed based on biopsy.

Results

Overall prevalence of post-transplantation hyperlipidemia was 29.9% (23/77) at the sixth postoperative month. The patients were divided into two groups, the hyperlipidemia group and the ortholipidemia group. In the 23 patients with hyperlipidemia, 15 (65%) were hypercholesterolemia, five (22%) were hypertriglyceridemia, and three (13%) patients had both hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. In univariate analysis, only tacrolimus blood concentration at the third and sixth post-transplantation months showed significant difference (8.7 ± 2.1 vs. 6.9 ± 3.2, p = 0.013; 9.2 ± 2.7 vs. 7.3 ± 3.8, p = 0.038, respectively). In multivariate logistic analysis, only two factors appear to be risk factors, namely, tacrolimus blood concentration at the third and sixth post-transplantation months (8.7 ± 2.1 vs. 6.9 ± 3.2, p = 0.043; 9.2 ± 2.7 vs. 7.3 ± 3.8 p = 0.035, respectively).

Conclusions

Higher tacrolimus blood concentration was related to hyperlipidemia at an early postoperative period. This indicates that tacrolimus blood concentration should be controlled as low as possible in the premise that there is no risk of rejection to minimize post-transplant hyperlipidemia after AALDLT.

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Abbreviations

AALDLT:

Adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation

BMI:

Body mass index

CsA:

Ciclosporin A

CI:

Confidence interval

DM:

Diabetes mellitus

HBV:

Hepatitis B virus

LPL:

Lipoprotein lipase

MELD:

Model for end-stage liver disease

MMF:

Mycophenolate mofetil

Mo:

Month

NS:

Not significant

OR:

Odds ratio

SD:

Standard deviation

TB:

Total bilirubin

TG:

Triglycerides

LDL:

Low-density lipoprotein

HDL:

High-density lipoprotein

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Conflict of interest

Hongyu Li and the other co-authors have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Liver and Vascular Surgery, Center of Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China

    Hong-Yu Li, Bo Li, Yong-Gang Wei, Lv-Nan Yan, Tian-Fu Wen, Ji-Chun Zhao, Ming-Qing Xu, Wen-Tao Wang, Yu-Kui Ma & Jia-Yin Yang

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  1. Hong-Yu Li
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  2. Bo Li
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  3. Yong-Gang Wei
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  4. Lv-Nan Yan
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Correspondence to Bo Li.

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Li, HY., Li, B., Wei, YG. et al. Higher Tacrolimus Blood Concentration Is Related to Hyperlipidemia in Living Donor Liver Transplantation Recipients. Dig Dis Sci 57, 204–209 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-011-1817-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-011-1817-5

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