Bone disease after kidney transplantation

Abstract

Post-transplant renal osteopathy (ROP) remains a serious problem, which contributes to substantial long-term morbidity of the graft recipients. Bone loss is most pronounced during the first months after engraftment; concerning bone density development in long-term transplant recipients, controversial data exist. The clinical impact of ROP is a marked increase in fracture rate following kidney transplantation compared with both general population and patients on dialysis treatment. The following review will focus on post-transplant ROP and discuss its epidemiology, the clinical features, factors contributing to the pathogenesis of this complication, as well as the evaluation, prevention and treatment options available for kidney allograft recipients.