Bone mineral content in renal transplant patients.

Bone mineral content (BMC) in the forearm was measured in 158 renal transplant patients to elucidate the relationship between bone mass and the development of bone lesions following renal transplantation. In renal transplant patients with aseptic necrosis of bone and with spontaneous fractures the BMC was significantly reduced compared with age and sex matched renal transplant control patients. Other factors connected with low BMC were age, sex, prolonged dialysis prior to transplantation, post-transplant hypercalcemia and elevated serum alkaline phosphatase at the time of the study. No relation between BMC and duration of immunosuppressive treatment was demonstrated.