[Bone mineral content after successful renal transplantation]

In the present investigation, serial measurements of bone mineral content before and after successful renal transplantation were evaluated by single photon absorptiometry, using a Bone Mineral Analyser (Norland Corp., USA). Twenty-four renal transplant recipients, whose grafts were well functioning for more than 6 months, were the subjects of this study; they were divided into two groups: one was AZP group which includes 12 patients receiving azathioprine and high dose of steroid and another was CYA group which includes 12 patients receiving cyclosporin A and low dose steroid as immunosuppressants. In both groups patients were similar in regard to age, source of donor, duration on dialysis prior to transplant. Variation rate of bone mineral content was calculated as follows: b-a/a x 100 (a; value before transplantation, b; value after transplantation). Nonpaired t-test was used when comparing the values of both groups. The results were as follows: 1) AZP group showed no improvement of BMC after 24 months, but only one patient showed improvement of BMC after 36 months. 2) In CYA group, improvement of BMC was found in 5 out of 11 patients after 12 months, in 7 out of 10 patients after 24 months and in 4 out of 4 patients after 36 months. 3) The cumulative dose of methyl-prednisolone was significantly lower in CYA group than in AZP group both one and three months after transplantation (p less than 0.001). It is concluded that the cumulative dose of methyl-prednisolone may have an important factor in the recovery of bone.