Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in post renal transplant patients

Deficiency of Vitamin D is prevalent in the general population, especially in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients. The exact prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency is unknown in post renal transplant recipients. The classical and non-classical effects of vitamin D deficiency are complicated by the use of steroids and calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) in the renal transplant population. The aim of this study is to document the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in the post renal transplant population.

A total of 51 renal transplant recipients under follow-up at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, between June 2009 and March 2011, were enrolled in this study. Parathormone (PTH), 25(OH)-vitaminD3, calcium, and phosphate levels were determined in all the patients. The patients were then classified into different groups based on the severity of the Vitamin D deficiency, time since transplantation, and level of graft function.

Overall, four patients (8%) were vitamin D sufficient, 17 patients (33%) insufficient, 26 patients (51%) mildly deficient, and four (8%) severely deficient. The degree of deficiency did not differ with reference to the time since transplant or level of graft function. Sixty-nine percent had high PTH level, 22% were normal, and 9% had a low parathyroid hormone level. There was an inverse correlation between Vitamin D deficiency and serum PTH level.

In this study, there was a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in renal transplant recipients. This did not get corrected, despite nutritional improvement or normalization of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) post transplantation. Therefore, the study emphasizes routine evaluation and proper supplementation of Vitamin D in all post renal transplant patients.