Sutedja DS, Wai CT, Teoh KF, Lee YM, Diddapur RK, Isaac J, Mak K, Da Costa M, Lee KH, Prabhakaran K, Tan KC, Lim SG
Correspondence: Dr Seng-Gee Lim, mdclimsg@nus.edu.sg
ABSTRACT
Introduction Patients who survive the initial post-liver transplantation period face the development of chronic diseases in the long run. We studied two important complications of liver transplantation, namely: renal impairment and diabetes mellitus.
Methods We analysed adult patients followed-up for more than one year using data from our liver transplant clinical records. Long-term post-transplant renal impairment (RI) was defined as glomerular filtration rate (GFR) less than 60 ml/min/1.73 square metres and long-term post-transplant diabetes mellitus (DM) was defined as fasting blood glucose more than 7.8 mmol/L, that existed at least one year after liver transplantation. Pre- and post-transplant factors that could be associated with these conditions were examined.
Results Altogether, 35 patients were evaluated. Mean age at transplant was 50 years. Mean duration of follow-up was 58.4 months. There was 11.4 percent of pre-transplant RI and 17.0 percent of pre-transplant DM. Prevalence of post-transplant RI was 43.5 percent at one year and 45.0 percent at four years. Long-term post-transplant RI was associated with renal impairment at six months post-transplant (p-value is 0.033). Prevalence of severe post-transplant RI (GFR is less than 30 ml/min/1.73 square metres) at four years was 5.7 percent. Prevalence of post-transplant DM was 45.5 percent at two years but declined to 5.3 percent at four years.
Conclusion Post-transplant renal impairment appears to be a potential long-term problem while post-transplant diabetes mellitus appears to improve with time.
Keywords: diabetes mellitus, glomerular filtration rate, liver transplant, liver transplant complications, renal impairment
Singapore Med J 2006; 47(7): 604-608
