Introduction: Renal transplant is a gold treatment of end stage renal disease due to the better quality of life and lower medical cost. Nutritional status was associated with the prevention of graft kidney deterioration in long term renal transplant recipients (RTRs). Less nutritional related studies for long term RTRs have been investigated.
Methods: A total of 40 RTRs with 6-year followed up have been enrolled between 2016 and 2023 in this longitudinal study. Nutritional status assessment including anthropometry and biochemical data, which were obtained from medical records. Dietary data were collected by using 3-day dietary records while clinic followed-up. Statistical analysis was performed with SAS 9.4 version.
Results: RTRs aged 55.5 ± 10.9 years have been followed-up 6.2 ± 0.4 years. Significantly lower muscle mass (28.1 ± 4.2 and 26.0 ± 6.0 kg, p = 0.01), physical activity (1.9 ± 0.3 and 1.5 ± 0.3 metabolic equivalents, p < 0.0001), glomerular filtration rate (55.7 ± 14.0 and 50.1 ± 17.3 ml/min/1.73m2, p = 0.008), and the intake of calorie (1889.6 ± 347.9 and 1677.6 ± 579.5 kcal, p = 0.04), carbohydrate (203.6 ± 41.0 and 177.9 ± 72.0 g, p = 0.02) and fruits (1.0 ± 1.0 and 0.6 ± 0.9 serving, p = 0.04) were shown in followed-up RTRs than in baseline.
Conclusion: Followed-up RTRs have the decreasing muscle mass, physical activity and renal function. In addition, lower dietary calorie, carbohydrate and fruit intake were observed. Further research to investigate the association between nutritional assessment and renal outcomes were necessary.