Weight Gain and Cardiovascular Risk After Organ Transplantation

• Published in: JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition Vol. 25; no. 3; pp. 114 - 119
• Main Author: Baum, Charles L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thousand Oaks, CA Sage Publications 01-05-2001; SAGE Publications; ASPEN; American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Diabetes Complications; Food-Drug Interactions; Humans; Hyperlipidemias - complications; Hypertension - complications; Immunosuppressive Agents - adverse effects; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Obesity - complications; Organ Transplantation - adverse effects; Risk Factors; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Weight Gain; Human; Hypertension; Obesity; Nutrition disorder; Cardiovascular disease; Transplantation; Homotransplantation; Coronary heart disease; Weight gain; Survival; Incidence; Surgery; Risk factor; Complication; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0148-6071; 1941-2444
• DOI: 10.1177/0148607101025003114

Organ transplantation has become a common and effective approach to the management of patients with organ failure. The improvement in long-term survival has resulted in the emergence of cardiovascular disease as the primary cause of death in renal transplant patients and a significant complication in other organ recipients. A number of factors explain this trend, including a high incidence of hypertension, posttransplant diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity risk factors that are mediated by direct effects of immunosuppressive medications. Weight gain posttransplant affects ~50% of patients and represents a significant problem because of the potential synergism between obesity and immunosuppressive medication-induced effects on cardiovascular disease risk factor development. This review discusses the incidence and implications of cardiovascular disease risk factors in organ transplant recipients, strategies for clinical management, and future research directions. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 25:114-119, 2001)