[Current management and care issues in kidney transplant recipients].

Kidney transplantation is one strategy for treating end-stage renal disease. Recent advances in perioperative management and immunosuppressive agents as well as improved understanding of transplant immunology have improved the post-surgery quality of life of kidney recipients dramatically. However, lifelong monitoring of renal functions and potential complications is essential to ensure optimal medical outcomes. Furthermore, the self-care competency of transplant recipients is a significant factor affecting survival of the graft and the patient over the long term. All kidney transplant recipients should comply with the self-care instructions provided by transplantation medical personnel and work to improve their self-care abilities in order to prevent / detect post-transplant complications such as rejection, infection, and medical comorbidities as early as possible. The purpose of this study is to explore the current management and care issues faced by kidney transplant recipients.

Hyperleptinemia positively correlated with metabolic syndrome in renal transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between metabolic syndrome and fasting serum leptin concentration in renal transplant recipients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fasting blood samples were obtained from 55 renal transplant recipients. Metabolic syndrome and its components were defined using the diagnostic criteria of the International Diabetes Federation. RESULTS: Thirteen patients (23.6%) had metabolic syndrome. Fasting leptin concentrations were positively correlated with metabolic syndrome (p=0.003). Univariate linear regression analysis indicated fasting serum leptin values were positively correlated with waist circumference (r=0.284; p=0.036), body mass index (r=0.358; p=0.007), body fat mass (r=0.610; p<0.001), triglycerides (r=0.268; p=0.048), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (r=0.377; p=0.005), triceps skinfold (r=0.335; p=0.012), and mid-arm fat area (r=0.351; p=0.009). Multivariate forward stepwise linear regression analysis of the significant variables revealed that body fat mass (R2 change=0.373; p<0.001) and hs-CRP (R2 change=0.045; p=0.049) were the independent predictors of fasting serum leptin concentration. CONCLUSION: Serum leptin concentration correlates positively with metabolic syndrome in renal transplant recipients.