Recommended Citation
Weick A, Chacra W, Kuchipudi A, Elbatta M, Divine G, Burmeister C, and Moonka D. Incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events associated with sirolimus use after liver transplantation. Transplant Proc 2015; 47(2):460-464.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-1-2015
Publication Title
Transplantation proceedings
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Sirolimus (SRL) is an immunosuppressant often used in liver transplantation (LT) to mitigate renal insufficiency associated with calcineurin inhibitors. Sirolimus can cause hyperlipidemia, but its association with coronary artery disease (CAD) and cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) is unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of CAD and CVAs with the use of SRL in LT recipients.
METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all of our LT recipients from 2000 to 2011. Patients with multiorgan transplant, multiple liver transplants, everolimus therapy, or survival1) 134 patients who received and tolerated SRL; 2) 604 patients who never received SRL; and 3) 65 patients who started but discontinued SRL. The primary outcome was the development of CAD or CVA beyond 4 months after transplantation with the use of time-dependent Kaplan-Meier analysis.
RESULTS: In group 1, there were 6 CAD and 2 CVA events; in group 2, 27 CAD and 16 CVA events; and in group 3, 10 CAD and 2 CVA events. The event-free survival for CAD/CVA at 1, 3, and 5 years was 100%, 98.1%, and 97.2% respectively for group 1; 99.7%, 98.4%, and 96.1% for group 2; and 92.3%, 92.3%, and 85.6% for group 3. On an unadjusted basis, compared with group 2, there was no difference in CAD/CVA rates in group 1 (hazard ratio [HR] 0.92; not significant), but there was an increase in group 3 (HR 2.94; P = .0019). However, on multivariate analysis, only age at transplantation (HR 1.06; P = .001) and diabetes before transplantation (P = .011) were associated with increased CAD/CVA risk.
CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis showed that patients receiving SRL after LT had no increased risk of CAD/CVA events compared with patients maintained on a calcineurin inhibitor. The risk of CAD/CVA should not be a factor in avoiding SRL.
Medical Subject Headings
Adult; Aged; Calcineurin Inhibitors; Coronary Artery Disease; Everolimus; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents; Incidence; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Liver Transplantation; Male; Middle Aged; Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Postoperative Complications; Retrospective Studies; Sirolimus; Stroke
PubMed ID
25769591
Volume
47
Issue
2
First Page
460
Last Page
464
