Lipid profile in renal transplant recipients receiving immunosuppressive therapy

Background: Immunosuppression has been detrimental for graft survival in renal transplant recipients (RTRs). Now that acute rejection is less of a concern, the main problem with kidney transplantation is the long term adverse effects of immunosuppression; dyslipidemia and subsequent atherosclerosis leading to cardiovascular diseases being one of them. The objective of the study was to determine the association of lipid profile with immunosuppressive therapy in RTRs.Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted in 120 live RTRs following up at the post-renal transplant clinic in 1 year duration. Means of baseline lipid profiles were compared to those of all follow ups and means of all lipid profiles done at different intervals were compared among different sub-groups of patients grouped according to different variables including the individual immunosuppressants and the immunosuppressive therapy.Results: There was a significant increase in TC levels at 6 and 12 months. HDL-C levels were significantly higher at all follow ups and TG levels done at all follow ups were significantly higher as compared to baseline.LDL-C(12) was significantly higher in the group with higher tacrolimus dose. LDL-C(6), LDL-C(24), TC(24) were significantly different among different prednisolone groups reflecting a relation of prednisolone with alteration in lipid profiles. None of the two regimens was found to be superior over the other regarding lipid profile.Conclusions: This study has shown a significant alteration of lipid profile in patients after renal transplantation as compared to pre-transplant status and immunosuppressive therapy seems to be one among the various contributors to it