JOINT PAIN AND ARTHRITIS IN RENAL TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS, AND CORRELATION WITH CYCLOSPORINE THERAPY.

To determine the prevalence of joint pain and arthritis in renal transplant recipients, and to investigate relationships with various laboratory and clinical parameters. Eighty-two patients who underwent renal transplantation (RT) and had a joint examination reported on their level of joint pain and arthritis by questionnaire. The patients were then followed for a year, with repeated joint examinations and laboratory tests every 3 months. Thirty-one of 82 patients (37.8%) complained of joint pain before the RT, and seven of these 31 individuals reported continued pain after the operation. Seventeen of the 82 (20.7%) began to suffer joint pain after the RT. Six (7.3%) and three (3.7%) of the 82 patients developed arthritis before and after the transplantation, respectively. We found no statistical association between the joint pain and sex, age, cause of renal failure, dialysis duration, time since transplantation, bone mineral density, human leukocyte antigen type, serum levels of urate, parathormone, calcium, alkaline phosphatase, phosphorus, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, donor source (living-related or cadaveric), or presence of HCV infection. However, levels of serum cyclosporine higher than 200 ng/ml were significantly correlated with the joint pain. This study shows that joint pain is common before and after RT. In renal transplant recipients, joint pain is significantly correlated with serum cyclosporine levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]