Nephrology Research
- Vascular Disease in Renal Transplant Patients
Principal investigators: Reginald Gohh, MD,
with renal fellow Kamlesh Patel, MD
 Hyperhomocysteinemia
in either the fasting or post-methionine loading (PML) state is
an independent risk factor for vascular disease in general populations.
Stable renal transplant recipients experience an exceedingly high
incidence of vascular disease events relative to general populations
free of renal disease, even after adjustment for the presence of
the traditional arteriosclerotic risk factors.
We have recently demonstrated that there is an excess prevalence
of both fasting and PML hyperhomocysteinemia among stable transplant
recipients versus appropriately matched controls. Hyperhomocysteinemia
may, therefore, contribute to the increased incidence of vascular
disease outcomes in these patients.
Our initial studies of transplant recipients also indicated that
the major determinants of homocysteine metabolism, folate, vitamin
B12 and B6 plasma status, are markedly deficient and that dietary
supplementation with these nutrients can improve the homocysteine
status in renal transplant recipients. In the future, we plan to
expand our studies of vascular disease in the transplant population.
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