Metabolic syndrome in transplant patients: An updating point of view

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of risk factors that predispose to major cardiovascular diseases and its complications, determining liver and kidney impairment. In the last decade, the indications to transplantation are increasing, with a linear incidence of the complications of the procedure. MS represents one of the commonest, being in turn may the consequence of the underlying disease that required the transplantation, or the result of the medical treatment, as well as one of the most important factor influencing the morbidity and mortality of the transplanted patients. Due to the growing incidence of the MS in these patients, it is crucial to focus and clarify the leading causes determining the onset of the metabolic disarrangement, its outcome and the hypothetical mechanism through which the clinicians could reduce the impact of the disease. In fact, prevention, early recognition, and treatment of the factor that could predict the onset or progression of the MS after the transplantation may impact long term survival of patients, that is again the scope of the same transplant. This review will update the different mechanisMS of the pathogenesis of MS in this population, the clinical effects of the presence of the MS, observing the risk factors to be treated before and after the transplantation and suggesting the management of the follow-up.