Is there disparity between risk and incidence of cardiovascular disease after liver transplant?

Background: Hypertension and hypercholesterolemia are recognized complications of liver transplantation, but whether they contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease is uncertain. We aimed first to determine the prevalence of risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) after liver transplantation and second to study the effect of liver transplantation on the predicted 10-year risk of developing CHD and the incidence of cardiovascular events in comparison with a matched local population.

Methods: Data on blood pressure, serum lipids, weight, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke were obtained retrospectively from the case notes of 181 consecutive adult liver transplant recipients (median follow-up 54 months).