title: Effect of fasting for Ramadan on kidney graft function during the hottest month of the year (August) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of fasting Ramadan during the hottest month of the year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective cohort study was performed at the King Fahd National Guard Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We used the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula to estimate the glomerular filtration rate in renal transplant patients who fasted and did not fast before and after Ramadan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 43 fasters and 37 nonfasters of comparable ages, with fasters having longer posttransplant times compared with nonfasters (P = .0001). The 2 groups had similar mean estimated glomerular filtration rates before Ramadan: 75.6 ± 29.2 and 65.9 ± 25.9 mL/min (P = .1) and similar mean estimated glomerular filtration rates 6 months after Ramadan: 77.2 ± 29.7 and 64.1 ± 29 mL/min (P = .21). Mean changes in the estimated glomerular filtration rate were similar in the 2 groups: -1.5 ± 10.9 and -2.8 ± 19.3 (P = .7) as was the percentage change (-0.2.2 ± 13.4 and 1.8 ± 15.9; P = .4). In the fasting group, serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate were similar before and 6 months after Ramadan: 105.1 ± 55 and 105.14 ± 61 μmol/L (P = 1.0) and 75.6 ± 29 and 72.2 ± 29.7 mL/min (P = .36). No significant changes were observed in the nonfasting group. No significant differences were detected regarding fasting in the estimated glomerular filtration rate before and 6 months after Ramadan in the 3 groups with the low, moderate, and high glomerular filtration rates at baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fasting for Ramadan in August does not adversely affect graft function at a mean follow-up of 7.6 ± 1.3 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Salem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qurashi
authors.forename: Abdulrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamimi
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jaradat
authors.forename: Abulla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al Sayyari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002980:Climate; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005215:Fasting / Q000502:physiology*; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine