Nutritional status of diabetic and nondiabetic patients after renal transplantation.

To assess whethertherewasimprovementinthenutritional status ofType I insulin- dependentdiabetics treatedwithrenaltransplantation as compared withdialysis, 24 diabetics and 21 nondiabetics were studied 22.6 ± 23.8 mo after transplantation. Nutritional assessment included weight, height, triceps skinfold thickness, midarm muscle circumference (MAMC), serum albumin, and transferrmn. Mean age of the 28 males and 17 females was 37.1 ± 9.4 yr. Weight of diabetics increased from 55.6± 8.4 kg to 61.5 ± 9.5 kg (p 0.05). Serum transferrmn was 210 ± 62 mg/dI in diabetics and 226 ± 52 mg/dl in non- diabetics. Forty-two percent of diabetics and 29% of nondiabetics had a MAMC <5th percentile, indicating protein-calorie malnutrition. Results suggest a significant improvement in nutritional status aftertransplantation inbothdiabetics and nondiabetics, but particularly in the diabetic group. Am iC/in Nuir l986;44:66-69.