Changes in Bone Mineral Density After Kidney Transplantation

Abstract

Background: Numerous studies have shown that osteoporosis is common in kidney transplant recipients. However, the change in bone mineral density after kidney transplantation (KT) is not fully understood.

Methods: Thirty-nine kidney transplant recipients with bone densitometry at pretransplant and 24 months after KT were reviewed.

Results: The recipients' median age (44.5 ± 10.7 years) and dialysis duration before KT (4.2 ± 3.4 years) were recorded. The T-scores of the lumbar spine and femur neck at 24 months after KT were positively associated with the respective pretransplant T-score (P < .001 in the lumbar spine and P < .001 in the femur neck). However, the T-score after KT did not show significant change (P = .680 in lumbar spine, P = .093 in femur neck). Changes in the T-scores of the lumbar spine and femur neck over 24 months (delta T-score) were negatively associated with the respective pretransplant T-scores (P = .001 in lumbar spine, P = .026 in femur neck). Changes in the T-scores of the lumbar spine and femur neck over 24 months (delta T-score) were also associated with the pretransplant T-scores after the adjustment of other variables.

Conclusion: The change of bone mineral density was related with pretransplant bone mineral density. Careful follow-up of bone densitometry for KT recipients was needed.