A pilot study on the relation between dietary calcium and clinical parameters in renal transplant recipients.
OBJECTIVE
This aim of this study was to evaluate the association between dietary calcium and variables that include body mass index, abdominal obesity, metabolic profile, and blood pressure levels in renal transplant patients.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted.


METHODS
Eligible patients were recruited from renal transplant outpatient clinics at Pedro Ernesto University Hospital, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.


METHODS
A total of 40 men and 34 women aged >18 years who had received kidney transplants in the past ≥12 months were included in this study.


METHODS
All patients underwent clinical, dietary, anthropometric, and biochemical evaluation.


RESULTS
Participants were classified into the following 2 groups on the basis of their mean dietary calcium intake: group A (<600 mg/day) and group B (≥600 mg/day). Patients in group B presented significantly lower levels of waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio as compared with those in group A (P = .04 and P = .005, respectively), after adjusting for confounding variables such as energy intake, gender, age, physical activity, time since transplantation, and prednisone dose. After controlling for potential confounders, including energy intake and physical activity, subjects in group B had a lower odds ratio for prevalent abdominal obesity as compared with those in group A (odds ratio, 0.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.03 to 0.94; P = .04). Body mass index was significantly lower in patients with higher calcium intake; however, this difference did not reach statistical significance after adjustments for confounding factors. Metabolic profile and blood pressure levels were similar in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the present study suggest that a higher dietary calcium intake may be associated with lower abdominal adiposity in renal transplant patients.
Nutrition Division, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. marciarsimas@gmail.com
Márcia Regina Simas Gonçalves
MR
Torres
Clara
C
Gioseffi
Shanna Silva Monteiro E Souza
SS
Guimarães
Luciana G
LG
Cardoso
Sergio G
SG
Barroso
Antonio F
AF
Sanjuliani
Edison
E
Souza
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000187:drug effects; D050154:Adiposity / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008019:Life Style; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000187:drug effects; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D002136:Calcium, Dietary