Surgery, Gastroenterology and Oncology

Objective: Liver transplant recipients often develop metabolic syndrome (MetS) and de-novo non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Our aim was to evaluate the cardiovascular risk in these patients using CXCL10,a serum biomarker whose expression levels have been associated with inflammatory diseases.

Methods: We assessed 60 liver transplant recipients for clinical and biological features. The cardiovascular risk was assessed using the Framingham risk score.

Results: HCV cirrhosis was the main indication for liver transplantation (69% of patients) and the mean age 56 years. The paired t-test showed a significant association of CXCL-10 with the presence of the metabolic syndrome (p<0,001) and also with the non-invasive scores for advanced fibrosis and NAFLD. The metabolic syndrome was present in 51% of patients. 23 % of patients had a Framingham risk score higher than 12 (10% mortality in 10 years) and 13% a score higher than 17 (30% mortality in 10 years).
A significant association between the serum levels of CXCL10 and ferritin (p=0,04), urea (p=0,003), but also with uric acid (p=0,04), an already established risk factor for cardiovascular mortality was shown in the Spearman rank correlation test showed. The multivariate analysis indicated as independent prediction factors for higher risk indicated by the Framingham score the serum levels of ferritin (p=0,03) and urea (p=0,02).

Conclusion: CXCL10 might be a useful tool in assessing the cardiovascular risk in liver transplant recipients, especially when features of the metabolic syndrome are present. Our study is ongoing, aiming to establish the role of biomarkers, including CXCL10 in cardiovascular related mortality in these patients.

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