Hyperhomocyst(e)inemia as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease in renal transplant recipients

Avaliação dos níveis séricos de homocisteína em transplantados renais com e sem hipercolesterolemia

“…Patients with hypercholesterolemia showed higher serum Hcy levels, which is in agreement with previous studies 2,3,10,11,15 . Ducloux et al 10 conducted a study with 103 clinically stable renal transplant recipients and showed a positive association between Hcy and LDL- cholesterol. However, such association was not found by other authors 18,21 .…”

“…It was not the purpose of this study to evaluate the association between ischemic heart disease and hyperhomocysteinemia, but according to previous studies 2,10,22 it is likely that the sum of risk factors found in transplant recipients -dyslipidemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, arterial hypertension, smoking, obesity -may result in greater cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.…”

“…Recent studies have suggested mechanisms through which hyperhomocysteinemia may be an additional factor for the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease in patients with other risk factors, such as dyslipidemia 2,10,11 . Ducloux et al 3 showed a positive correlation between serum Hcy and LDL-cholesterol in clinically stable renal transplant recipients.…”

“…Ducloux et al 3 showed a positive correlation between serum Hcy and LDL-cholesterol in clinically stable renal transplant recipients. In this context, endothelial damage occurs due to the predominance of oxidized forms of Hcy in plasma, thus generating reactive oxygen species and tissue toxicity 6,10,12,13 .…”

“…Serum Hcy levels are inversely related to renal function, which, in turn, is the major determinant of the former 10,21 . However, after renal transplant, the decrease in serum Hcy levels seems to be lower than expected with the improvement in renal function.…”