Obesity and kidney transplantation

Abstract

Obesity confers increased risk for graft loss and death among renal transplant recipients. However the relationship of changes in body weight and composition to outcome on the transplant waitlist and post-transplantation is not straightforward. Strategies to manage weight in the waitlisted patient and after kidney transplantation must be performed in the context of a multidisciplinary approach and individualized based on risk factors in particular patients. Although retrospective studies offer considerable insights into the relationship between obesity and kidney transplant outcome, causal inferences must be made with great caution.