title: Anemia after kidney transplantation is not completely explained by reduced kidney function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anemia is prevalent among kidney transplant recipients and likely contributes to mortality and morbidity. Prevalence of anemia is associated strongly with degree of kidney graft dysfunction; however, it remains unclear whether additional transplant-associated factors also contribute.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aim of this study is to compare the prevalence of anemia between 2 cohorts, 1 of kidney transplant recipients (n = 851) and another from the general population (n = 732), sourced from subjects of the AusDiab study and selected by means of propensity score to provide a cohort matched for kidney function (Cockcroft-Gault creatinine clearance).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average hemoglobin level in kidney transplant recipients was (13.1 g/dL [131 g/L]; range, 9.0 to 18.0 g/dL), significantly less than in the general population (14.3 g/dL [143 g/L]; range, 9.7 to 20.0 g/dL). The prevalence of anemia (hemoglobin < 12.0 g/dL [<120 g/L] for females; <12.5 g/dL [<125 g/L] for males) was almost 10-fold greater in kidney transplant recipients (30.8%) versus the general population (3.4%). Average hemoglobin level was lower in the kidney-transplant-recipient cohort at all levels of creatinine clearance. Considering both cohorts pooled, multivariate analysis showed that transplant status had the strongest association with anemia, followed by sex, creatinine clearance, and age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Posttransplantation anemia cannot be attributed solely to impaired kidney function.
authors.affiliation: Renal Medicine and Transplantation, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia. steve.chadban@cs.nsw.gov.au
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chadban
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baines
authors.forename: Kevan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Polkinghorne
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jefferys
authors.forename: Sharan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dogra
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kanganas
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Irish
authors.forename: Josette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eris
authors.forename: Rowan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies