Korean J Transplant 2022; 36(Suppl 1): S59-S59
Published online November 17, 2022
https://doi.org/10.4285/ATW2022.F-1767
© The Korean Society for Transplantation
Lee Yoojung, Soon Cheol Park, Seung Hoon Lee
Department of Vascular Surgery, The Catholic University of Korea Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Korea
Correspondence to: Soon Cheol Park
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Background: Cardiovascular disease is at a higher risk in patients undergoing dialysis and is known to be the leading cause of death. Kidney transplantation (KT) has the advantage of reducing the cardiovascular risk by discontinuing dialysis, although there is a risk of general anesthesia and aggravation during postoperative care. KT is known to have an intermediate risk with cardiovascular complication of less than 5% after surgery. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the cardiovascular events after KT at a single center.
Methods: This study was conducted from January 2017 to June 2022 on 923 patients who underwent KT at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital. Patients who had cardiac enzyme elevation (CK-MB, Troponin T, Troponin I, Pro-BNP) and specific events within 1 month after surgery were analyzed and the incidence of cardiovascular and other complications were investigated.
Results: Among patients with cardiac enzyme elevation or abnormal event after surgery, 37 (4.0%) of 923 patients were included. Cardiac enzyme elevation was identified in 36 patients. Among them, cardiovascular origin was confirmed in six (0.6%) and stroke in one (0.1%). Three (paroxysmal AF) out of them improved with medication, and three (STEMI, Variant angina) underwent CAG. The most common cause of cardiac enzyme elevation was postoperative bleeding. Two out of eight expired due to deterioration after reoperation, and the course improved after reoperation in six. In four of cardiac enzyme elevation, dysfunction (one) and graft nephrectomy (three) were performed due to graft kidney failure, and 11 died within 1 month after surgery.
Conclusions: The cardiovascular event within 1 month after KT was 0.6% of all patients, the overall fatal complication rate (expired, graft failure, stroke) was 1.6%. Since the incidence of complications within 1 month after KT is not high, the benefits of transplantation are expected to be greater if the risk of general anesthesia is not high.