Statins and solid organ transplantation

Dyslipidaemia is common in solid organ transplant recipients and its presence is associated with chronic rejection and accelerated atherosclerosis, leading to an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients. It is therefore of interest and clinical value to introduce agents that effectively and safely reduce the incidence of this outcome. In the present review we consider the potential benefits of statin administration in adults who have undergone solid organ (mainly renal, heart and liver) transplantation, as well as in paediatric transplant patients. We also briefly review the effects of combination therapy with ezetimibe and statins in this population. Overall, statins are efficient and safe drugs for the management of dyslipidaemias in transplant populations, and in most trials they had a beneficial effect on long-term survival rates, CVD events and rejection rates. The transplanted population is different from other patient groups, mostly due to concomitant immunosuppressive therapy. Statins, at an appropriate dosage, should be prescribed to dyslipidacmic transplanted patients but they should be closely monitored for adverse effects.