title: Prevalence of anemia in renal transplant patients: results from MOST, an observational trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anemia is one of the most common complications of chronic renal disease. However, the incidence or prevalence of anemia in kidney transplant recipients has not been well studied. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of anemia in renal transplant in early and late posttransplant period and the influence of drugs (immunosuppressive and antihypertensive).
  
  
  METHODS
  MOST is an observational, prospective trial of renal transplant receiving cyclosporine-based immunosuppressive regimen under condition of normal practice in de novo or maintenance recipients. We analyzed the Spanish data from 397 de novo recipients and 2102 maintenance recipients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In maintenance recipients mean hemoglobin levels were 12.8 +/- 1.6 g/dL (13.2 +/- 1.7 in men and 12 +/- 1.4 in women); 22.73% of men and 20.19% of women were found to be anemic. There was a significant correlation between hemoglobin and graft function (r = .14, P < .0001). The percentage of patients with anemia increased with the severity of chronic renal disease according to the KDOQI classification. Therapy with mycophenolate mofetil was also associated with a higher likehood of anemia as compared with other immunosuppressive therapies (azathioprine or sirolimus). There were no differences with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or ARB II. In de novo patients postransplant anemia was a frequent complication during the first 3 to 6 months. In patients with delayed graft function the recovery of anemia was slower.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of anemia in transplant recipients was remarkably high, especially in the early postransplant period, and appeared associated with impaired renal function and with immunosuppressive treatment.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology Service, Universitary Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain. nefffg@humv.es
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fernández Fresnedo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Palomar
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: A L M
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: de Francisco
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Cotorruelo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arias
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine