Relationship between plasma phospholipid polyunsaturated fatty acid composition and bone disease in renal transplantation.

Abstract To investigate the relationship between polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and bone metabolism in renal transplant patients, plasma phospholipid ( PP) PUFA levels, biochemical markers of bone turnover and bone mineral density (BMD) were determined in 22 recipients of a first renal allograft at baseline and after a mean 24.4 month follow-up. A significant increase in PPn-3 PUFA content, in the [n-3 PUFA/ arachidonic acid] ratio and in BMD values was observed, as well as a close correlation between the increase in PPn-3 PUFA content and femoral neckBMD. Multivariate regression analysis showed that BMD improvement was positively related to PPn-3 PUFA variation and baseline PPeicosapentaenoic acid levels, and negatively to PP arachidonic acidmodification. Tacrolimus- versus cyclosporine-treated patients demonstrated a significant increase in femoral neckBMD and PPn-3 PUFA content. This is the first longitudinal study showing a link between PP-PUFA composition and bone diseasein renal transplantation.