Biochemical parameters of bone turnover in kidney transplant recipients

Impairment of bone remodelling due to chronic renal failure persists even after successful kidney transplantation. Bone turnover was assessed in 22 kidney transplant recipients by measurement of serum bone markers: total (tALP) and bone alkaline phosphatase (bALP), osteocalcin (OC), procollagen I C-terminal propeptide (PICP), collagen I C-terminal telopeptide (ICTP), and iPTH. The patients were on dialysis 56.6 +/- 43.1 months before transplantation (mean +/- SD) and 34.2 +/- 23.0 months had elapsed after transplantation. The bone markers were within the reference range in 23% of patients for iPTH, 73% for tALP and 82% for bALP, 41% for OC, 73% for PICP and 50% for ICTP. A positive correlation was found between dialysis duration and ICTP, and iPTH and bone formation markers (OC, bALP). The obtained results indicate that bone turnover was increased after kidney transplantation, with prevailing bone resorption, which seems to be influenced by dialysis duration.