Coronary calcium score in renal transplant recipients.
BACKGROUND
Coronary calcium score (CCS) is established as an index for the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of this prospective study was to assess changes in CCS in patients 1 year after kidney transplantation (KTx).


METHODS
A total of 221 consecutive renal transplant recipients were enrolled in our prospective study (140 males/81 females). CCS was analyzed by spiral multidetector CT at baseline and 1 year after KTx. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in the lumbar spine (L-BMD) and femur (F-BMD).


RESULTS
The mean CCS was 539 +/- 1,033 at baseline. 33% of the patients had a CCS of 0, and 33% of patients had a CCS of >401. A negative correlation was found between F-BMD and CCS, but no correlation was found between L-BMD and CCS. Using CCS, a positive correlation was found between total cholesterol and the age of patients, but no correlation of CCS was found with other biochemical markers of bone and lipid metabolism. One year after transplantation, the mean CCS was 703 +/- 1,253; in 75% of patients the CCS was the same and 25% had a higher CCS.


CONCLUSIONS
A high risk of CHD was found in 33% of renal graft recipients. No improvement in CCS was found 1 year after KTx.
Bubenicek
Petr
P
Department of Nephrology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic. p.bubenicek@volny.cz
Kautznerova
Dana
D
Sotornik
Ivo
I
Adamec
Milos
M
Lanska
Vera
V
Teplan
Vladimir
V