Low Vitamin D Linked with Lower Kidney Function After Transplantation

Vitamin D supplements may help maintain kidney function in transplant recipients Highlights• Low vitamin D levels measured at three months after kidney transplantation were linked with lower kidney function and increased kidney scarring at 12 months post-transplant. • Other hormones involved with mineral metabolism were not predictors of kidney function or scarring after one year.Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in patients with kidney failure.

Newswise — Washington, DC (March 28, 2013) — Vitamin D deficiency may decrease kidney function in transplant recipients, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The finding suggests that vitamin D supplementation may help improve the health of kidney transplant recipients.

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in patients with kidney failure. It’s not clear how this affects patients after they receive a kidney transplant. To investigate, Frank Bienaimé, MD (Université Paris Descartes and INSERM and Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris) and his colleagues studied a group of 634 kidney recipients who underwent transplantation between January 2005 and June 2010.

The researchers found that low vitamin D levels measured at three months after transplantation were linked with lower kidney function and increased kidney scarring at 12 months post-transplant. Other hormones involved with mineral metabolism were not predictors of kidney function or scarring after one year.

“This result suggests that maintaining vitamin D concentration within the normal range would prevent renal function deterioration after renal transplantation,” said Dr. Bienaimé. “Vitamin D supplementation, a simple and inexpensive treatment, may improve transplantation outcomes.” He encouraged the design of randomized controlled trials to evaluate the potential of vitamin D supplements to maintain kidney function following transplantation.

Study co-authors include Delphine Girard, MD, Dany Anglicheau, MD, PhD, Guillaume Canaud, MD, PhD, Jean Claude Souberbielle, DPharm, Henri Kreiss, MD, Laure Hélène Noël, MD, Gérard Friedlander, MD, PhD, Caroline Elie, MD, PhD, Christophe Legendre, MD, and Dominique Prié, MD, PhD.

Disclosures: The authors reported no financial disclosures.

The article, entitled “Vitamin D Status and Outcomes After Renal Transplantation,” will appear online at http://jasn.asnjournals.org/ on March 28, 2013, doi: 10.1681/ASN.2012060614.

The content of this article does not reflect the views or opinions of The American Society of Nephrology (ASN). Responsibility for the information and views expressed therein lies entirely with the author(s). ASN does not offer medical advice. All content in ASN publications is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions, or adverse effects. This content should not be used during a medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health care provider if you have any questions about a medical condition, or before taking any drug, changing your diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment. Do not ignore or delay obtaining professional medical advice because of information accessed through ASN. Call 911 or your doctor for all medical emergencies.

Founded in 1966, and with more than 13,500 members, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) leads the fight against kidney disease by educating health professionals, sharing new knowledge, advancing research, and advocating the highest quality care for patients.

# # #