Risk Factors of Metabolic Syndrome among Post Living Donor Liver Transplant Egyptian Recipients: Single Center Study

Abstract

Abstract Background For more than two decades, liver transplantation (LT) has been accepted as the most effective treatment for end-stage liver disease. However, complications following LT significantly affect the quality of life in long-term survival and metabolic syndrome (MS) is now considered to be the most common long-term complication after LT and has been increasing recently with an incidence of 50-60%. Aim of the Study To identify both pre-transplant and post-transplant risk factors which contribute to post-transplant MS (PTMS) among Egyptian recipients. Methods This study is retrospective prospective descriptive in nature. It was held at the Ain Shams Center for Organ Transplant (ASCOT), Ain Shams University Specialized Hospital with a total of 233 adult Egyptian patients who underwent living donor liver transplant (LDLT) from January 2010 through December 2020 were enrolled. Their data were extracted in detail from the medical records and were retrospectively analyzed. Results Our study has demonstrated that the recipient’s age (being old age), the presence of pre-transplant DM, the recipient being overweight prior to transplant, and the etiology of liver disease that served as an indication for liver transplant, especially cryptogenic cirrhosis, as well as the use of immunosuppressive drugs, mTOR inhibitors, in particular, were all strongly associated with the development of PTMS. However, only the presence of pre-transplant DM, the recipient being overweight prior to transplant, and the use of immunosuppressive drugs, mTOR inhibitors (Everolimus/Sirolimus), in particular, were considered independent risk factors of PTMS. Conclusion Early recognition and modification of risk factors of metabolic syndrome -if modifiable- would facilitate prevention of PTMS, which may reduce its prevalence among transplanted patients.