Functional and histopathologic changes in renal transplant patients with new-onset diabetes and dyslipidemia

The principal risk factors for cardiovascular mortality posttransplantation are hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, obesity, and smoking.

Among 115 patients, we assessed the risk factors for new-onset diabetes (NODM) and dyslipidemia (NODL), and their effects on the function and histopathologic changes in the allografts at 1 year posttransplantation.

When evaluating the risk factors and the initial recipient data, we observed a significant difference in age when comparing normal vs NODM patients (P=.004), normal versus NODL patients (P=.002), and normal versus NODL + NODM patients (P=.0001). The difference in body mass index (BMI) was significant when comparing normal with NODM + NODL patients (P=.003). In regard to immunosuppressive therapy, NODM was significantly more frequent among/prescribed tacrolimus (tac; P=.005), whereas subjects who received cyclosporine (CsA) showed a significantly higher incidence of NODL (P=.001). The triglyceride levels were 3.02 ± 1.51 mmol/L among those on CsA versus 2.15 ± 1.57 mmol/L for (P=.004). The difference also proved to be significant for total cholesterol level: 5.43 ± 1.23 mmol/L versus 4.42 ± 1.31 mmol/L respectively (P=.001). In regard to allograft function a significant difference was noted at 1 year after transplantation between the NODM + NODL and the normal group in serum creatinine level (P=.02) as well as the estimated glomerular filtration rate (P=.004). Among diabetic patients, the serum creatinine level measured at posttransplant year 5 was significantly higher than that in 1 year (212.43 vs 147.00 μmol/L; P=.0003). When assessing morphologic changes in the kidney, we observed significantly more frequent interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy in all 3 groups compared with normal function patients.

Our clinical study suggested that at 1 year after transplantation allograft function is already impaired in the presence of both medical conditions (NODM and NODL). However, in regard to morphology, a single condition (NODM or NODL) was sufficient to produce histologic changes in the kidney.