Inverse association of serum long-acting natriuretic peptide and bone mineral density in renal transplant recipients

Hsu B‐G, Ho G‐J, Lee C‐J, Yang Y‐C, Chen Y‐C, Shih M‐H, Lee M‐C. Inverse association of serum long‐acting natriuretic peptide and bone mineral density in renal transplant recipients.
Clin Transplant 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399‐0012.2011.01575.x.
© 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and fasting serum long‐acting natriuretic peptide (LANP) concentration in renal transplant recipients. Patients and methods: Fasting blood samples were obtained from 65 renal transplant recipients. BMD was measured using dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry in lumbar vertebrae (L2–L4). Serum LANP levels were measured using a commercial enzyme immunoassay kit. Results: Six patients (9.2%) had osteoporosis and 28 patients (43.1%) had osteopenia in renal transplant recipients. Increased serum LANP (p < 0.001) was significantly correlated with low lumbar T‐score cut‐off points between groups (normal, osteopenia, and osteoporosis) in renal transplant recipients. Female patients had lower lumbar BMD than male renal transplant recipients (p = 0.027). Univariate linear regression analysis indicated that lumbar BMD were positively correlated with height (p = 0.038), body weight (p = 0.003), and body mass index (BMI; p = 0.019), whereas negatively correlated with LANP (p = 0.004) among the renal transplant recipients. Multivariate forward stepwise linear regression analysis of the significant variables revealed that body weight (R² change = 0.132; p = 0.006) and LANP (R² change = 0.093; p = 0.008) were the independent predictors of lumbar BMD values in the renal transplant recipients. Conclusion: Serum LANP concentration correlates negatively with lumbar BMD values in renal transplant recipients.