High prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in southern Chinese renal transplant recipients

Ren Fail. 2012;34(8):980-4. doi: 10.3109/0886022X.2012.706878.

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency is common globally. There is evidence that vitamin D status may be related to immune function and cardiovascular disease. The vitamin D status of Chinese kidney transplant recipients has never been investigated. We performed a cross-sectional study and measured the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in 94 Chinese renal transplant recipients with stable allograft function. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were detected in 43.6% and 54.2% of patients, respectively. About 53.2% of the patients also had elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. The level of 25(OH)D was lower in kidney transplant recipients compared with healthy controls matched for age and sex (52.5 ± 15.6 nmol/L vs. 57.5 ± 19.0 nmol/L, p = 0.05), but the level of serum creatinine was higher in kidney transplant recipients (120.3 ± 48.5 μmol/L and 78.3 ± 15.3 μmol/L, p < 0.01). The level of 25(OH)D was negatively correlated with that of PTH (p = 0.001). The latter was associated with serum creatinine (p = 0.001) and duration of dialysis (p = 0.001). Patients with a history of acute rejection showed lower levels of 25(OH)D (45.3 ± 11.9 nmol/L vs. 54.2 ± 16.0 nmol/L, p = 0.003). We conclude that vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among Chinese renal transplant recipients. In view of the potential immunomodulatory effect of vitamin D, the relationship between vitamin D level and rejection and the effect of vitamin D supplementation in renal transplant recipients warrant further investigations.

MeSH terms

  • China / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kidney Transplantation*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Vitamin D / analogs & derivatives*
  • Vitamin D / blood
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / blood
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / epidemiology*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / ethnology

Substances

  • Vitamin D
  • 25-hydroxyvitamin D