IMPACT OF RENAL TRANSPLANTATION ON BODY COMPOSITION

The aim of the study was to analyse the impact of renal transplantation on body composition (Body Cell Mass) in adult kidney transplant recipients.Body Cell Mass (BCM) was calculated from total body potassium (TBK), determined from K-40 in a whole body counter. Patients were measured before transplantation and 3 months, 1 year and 2 years after transplantation. Patients were encouraged to take part in physical exercise, but supervised physical training was not included in the study Out of 50 included patients, 44 have had a kidney transplant (9 F, 35 M). Mean age at transplantation was 49 (23-72) years. Before transplantation, mean BW was 80 (SD 13) kg and mean BMI 25,6 (SD 4) kg/m2. Mean TBK was 3162 (SD 690) mmol, corresponding to 90 % of predicted value. In the 1 year follow up, no significant changes in TBK (n=42) were found, nor in patients examined 2-3 years after transplantation (n=35). To examine whether post transplantation improvement of BCM will appear later, as has been seen in Liver Transplant recipients, patients were invited to a follow up measurement. So far, 11 patients have repeated the measurement 6 (4½-7½) years after transplantation. TBK improvements of >10% were seen in 4 patients, decreases of >10% in 2 patients, and changes of a lower magnitude in remaining patients. In conclusion, no increase in Body Cell Mass was seen in this unselected group of kidney transplant recipients during the first 2-3 years after transplantation. Pro catabolic events and low physical activity may explain this lack ofimprovement