Objective:

To assess serum levels of vitamin D in renal transplant patients, and if the glomerular filtration rate affects them.

Methods:

The study included patients older than 18 years with a kidney transplant for more than 1 year. Demographic, anthropometric, solar exposure, aetiology of chronic pretransplant renal disease (CKD), bone densitometry, and laboratory variables related to bone and mineral disorders were evaluated.

Study:

Cross-sectional analytical study with review of medical records. Descriptive statistical methods were used to measure central tendency, dispersion (mean, standard deviation), and absolute and relative frequencies. A lineal regression method was used to determine the correlation between vitamin D levels with each of the laboratory tests included, especially with GFR.

Results:

A total of 56 patients met the inclusion criteria, 29 men and 27 women, mean age 44.8 + /- 12.4 years, mostly of mixed race (57.1%), main aetiology of CKD unknown (55.3%). Only 35.7% of the patients had normal levels of vitamin D, and 64.3% had insufficient levels. None of the patients had levels in the deficit range. No significant differences were found between the vitamin D results and the stage of CKD. An inverse relationship was found between vitamin D levels and creatinine, calcium, phosphorus, CaxP, albumin, and alkaline phosphatase. The ratio was positive for 24 hour urine protein, GFR and PTHi, although the ratio is very weak in all of them. The bone density results were within the normal range in 41.07% of patients, with 46.43% osteopenia, and 12.5% osteoporosis. No correlation was found between vitamin D levels and the degree of bone alteration.

Conclusions:

In renal transplant patients it is common to detect insufficient levels of vitamin D, regardless of the GFR.

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