Serum Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels in Renal Allograft Recipients in Taiwan

Hyperlipidemia is a known metabolic defect in patients with chronic renal failure and in those after successful renal transplantation. The types of hyperlipidemia are different between these two groups. Hypertriglyceridemia (HT ) is more prominent in patients under maintenance hemodialysis, while hypercholesterolemia (HC) is more frequently found in renal allograft recipients.1,2 According to various reports, 1,3 the prevalence of HT ranged from 60 % to 93% in patients on dialysis. while the prevalence of hyperlipidemia in renal allograft recipients ranged from 16% to 72%. Inspite of the metabolic defects inherired with renal diseases, there were many other factors considered to be related to the development of hyperlipidemia in renal transplant recipients, such as steroid use, cyclosporine use , diuretics use, angiotensin conversion enzyme inhibitor( ACEI), food intake, etc.2,4-7 Calorie composition is quite different between western and Oriental countries. In Oriental countries, most of the calorie intake comes from carbohydrates (about 60%) and only a minor part comes from fat. But in wistern countries, only about 45% to 50% of calories come from carbohy drates, and fat occupies a more prominent part of the energy intale. The incidence of coronary disease is also lower in Oriental countries, so it is of interest whether there is any difference in the incidence of hyperlipidemia and occlusive vascular disease in renal allograft recipients between different populatdions . We studied the lipid abnormalities and outcomes of renal allograft recipients in National Taiwan University Hospital in the cyclosporine era.#0694