Patients who undergo renal transplantation can experience significant weight gain in the first six months after the procedure, and the reason may not be related to changes in dietary intake. A recent study showed, at six months post-transplant, the mean weight of the study participants had increased by 5 percent or more in 58 percent of patients and 10 percent or more in 33 percent of patients. This increase occurred despite no significant increase in nutrient intake during the study period.

The study revealed little changes in nutrient intake between patients who gained weight and those who did not. The findings challenge the view that improved appetite following a renal transplant and the transition from a restricted renal diet to an unrestricted diet is primarily responsible for post-transplant weight gain. The researchers think patients gain weight mainly as a result of inactivity and perhaps genetic factors. The results were reported at the 2010 American Transplant Congress.

Kidney patients, health care providers and friends of the kidney community can now follow AAKP on Twitter. Twitter is a free service that allows users to post short messages, or Tweets, that are delivered to friends, customers, colleagues - anyone who has subscribed. The Association is using this communication tool to inform and educate patients and supporters on the happenings within AAKP and the kidney community. AAKP also hopes to grow its network of supporters and friends. To follow AAKP on Twitter, visit www.twitter.com/KidneyPatients. The first 100 followers will receive a free pillbox and a $10 discount of an annual AAKP Premiere Membership. 

Don't delay registering for the 37th Annual AAKP Convention. This year's Convention takes place Sept. 2 - 4, at the Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina in Tampa, FL, and features educational sessions, exciting social events and an exhibit hall filled with renal companies ready to show patients the latest products and treatment options available.

Receiving an organ low in weight in relation to the recipient's body weight increases kidney transplant recipients risk of complications and transplant failure, according to a study in the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The results suggest compatibility between a donated kidney's weight and the weight of the recipient could improve the success of transplantation. After following 1189 patients for an average of 6.2 years after transplantation, the researchers found the greater the incompatibilities of weight ratios, the more likely patients were to develop kidney problems. Specifically, a low kidney weight to recipient weight ratio increased the risk of developing inadequate kidney filtration, excess protein in the urine, hypertension, kidney scarring and transplant failure. This low kidney weight to recipient weight ratio was associated with a 55 percent increased risk of transplant failure after two years.