Incidence of De Novo hypertension in patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation and its relation to the type of immunosuppression

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is a common problem after liver transplant occurring in 55-85%. Hypertension is a risk factor for ischemic heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, renal failure and death. Objectives: This was a retrospective study to determine the incidence of de novo hypertension in patients undergoing living transplantation from a living donor. Our second objective was to compare the effect of different calcineurin inhibitors on the incidence of de novo hypertension. Methods: This was a retrospective study that included 98 adult patients whom had passed 6 months after undergoing living donor liver transplantation, the included patients all didn’t have pretransplant hypertension this was an exclusion criterion. Results:From the 98 patients included in the study, age range was 37-62 years with a median age of 44 years. The study also included 71 males and 27 females. Five patients (5.1%) had temporary or transient hypertension which has resolved within the first 2-6 months with follow up or treatment that has been withdrawn and no subsequent development of hypertension. Within the studied group 34 (34.7%) patients developed hypertension after liver transplantation. Patients who had de novo hypertension were divided into 2 groups; one group who received ciclosporine and the other group who received tacrolimus. In the group which used tacrolimus; the incidence of de novo hypertension was 39.4%, while the group in which ciclosporine was used; the incidence of de novo hypertension was 42.86% (P>0.05) (non-significant). Conclusion: The incidence of de novo hypertension is 34.7% in patients undergoing LDLT. The incidence of de novo hypertension is 40.4% in patients undergoing LDLT. In this study there was no statistically significant difference in the effect of either neoral nor FK in the occurrence of de novo hypertension in patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation.