Presumed neurotrophic skeletal disease in diabetic kidney transplant recipients

A retrospective review of kidney transplant cases from 1969 to 1974 revealed a 20% incidence of neuropathic skeletal disease among diabetic patients, with the highest incidence occurring in the third and fourth years after transplantation. There were no identifiable differences in immunosuppressive drug management and sex predilection among nondiabetic kidney transplant recipients and the diabetic kidney transplant recipients. The presence of painless swelling in the lower extremity of these at-risk patients should be considered an early sign of impending pathological fracture, joint disruption, or both.