Metabolic syndrome appears early after hematopoietic cell transplantation

Improved survival after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) enables us to learn more about potential late complications after HCT, one of which is metabolic syndrome. There are no studies investigating the prevalence or development of metabolic syndrome within the first year post-HCT in adult myeloablative transplant recipients.

In this retrospective study, we evaluated the prevalence of and risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome early post-HCT in human subjects. Due to lack of complete information regarding all the factors that define metabolic syndrome, we evaluated metabolic characteristics using available objective data referred to as modified metabolic syndrome (MMS). The cohort included 785 patients.

We demonstrated that the incidence of MMS was 34% pre-HCT, 48% at day 80 post-HCT, and 40% at 1 year post-HCT. MMS at day 80 post-HCT was predictive of having MMS at 1 year post-HCT.

These results support the need for nutrition and lifestyle intervention to prevent and treat metabolic abnormalities among patients who survive the acute transplant period.