title: Nutritional status of renal transplant patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of renal transplantation on the nutritional status of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Renal Transplant Clinic at Tygerberg Hospital, Western Cape.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight renal transplant patients from Tygerberg Hospital were enrolled in the study. The sample was divided into two groups of 29 patients each: group 1, less than 28 months post-transplant; and group 2, more than 28 months post-transplant.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nutritional status assessment comprised biochemical evaluation, a dietary history, anthropometric measurements and a clinical examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum vitamin B6 levels were below normal in 56% of patients from group 1 and 59% from group 2. Vitamin B6 intake, however, was insufficient in only 14% of patients from group 1 and 10% from group 2. Serum vitamin C levels were below normal in 7% of patients from group 1 and 24% from group 2, while vitamin C intake was insufficient in 21% and 14% of patients from groups 1 and 2 respectively. Serum magnesium levels were below normal in 55% of patients from group 1, and in 28% from group 2. Serum albumin and cholesterol levels increased significantly during the post-transplant period in the total sample (P = 0.0001). There was also a significant increase in body mass index (P = 0.0001) during the post-transplant period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several nutritional abnormalities were observed, which primarily reflect the side-effects of immunosuppressive therapy. The causes, consequences and treatment of the vitamin B6 and vitamin C deficiencies in renal transplant recipients need further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, University of Stellenbosch and Tygerberg Hospital, W Cape.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: du Plessis
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Randall
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Escreet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Höll
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conradie
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Moosa
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Labadarios
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Herselman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors