Hypervolemia and high tumor necrosis factor-α: An interesting finding during the first six months' posttransplant period in kidney transplant recipients with good renal function

Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for the end-stage renal disease. Hypervolemia and inflammation are commonly overlooked. We investigated whether hyper-volemia develops in kidney transplant recipients with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) >70 mL/min and if there is there any correlation between inflammatory cytokines and hypervolemia in the 1st month and at six months after transplantation. We measured serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and body composition indices in 11 healthy volunteers and 19 kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) with eGFR >70 mL/min at one month and six months posttransplant. At baseline, body mass index (BMI) and fat tissue index (FTI) were significantly higher and overhydration improved (P = 0.006) at 6th month in KTRs. There was no difference in BMI, FTI, lean tissue index (LTI), and serum levels of IL-1 and IL-6 in controls and KTRs at six months posttransplant. Volume overload and serum TNF-α levels were significantly lower in controls than KTRs. There was positive correlation between volume overload and serum TNF-α levels in KTRs. Compared to baseline, parameters including volume overload, BMI, and FTI were found to be improved at six months' posttransplant in KTRs. Interestingly, volume overload and high levels of serum TNF-α continued at least six months after transplantation