Arterial vessel reactivity in patients in the long term after kidney transplantation – preliminary study

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the endothelial-dependent and -independent arterial vessels’ reactivity in patients in the long term after kidney transplantation (KTx). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 36 (15 females; 21 males) patients after KTx with good, stable graft function and 94 healthy individuals (51 males, 43 females). The endothelial-dependent dilatory capacity of the brachial artery was estimated by an ischemic test (flow-mediated dilation – FMD), and independent by nitroglycerin-mediated vasodilation (NMD). The results were shown for age-related groups and compared with age-related healthy people. RESULTS: KTx patients were mean 5.1 ±2.3 years after transplantation with the mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 50.3 ±17.1 ml/min/1.73 m(2). The mean vessel diameter before tests was significantly larger in healthy people than in KTx patients. The FMD test showed vasodilation becoming weaker along with age in both groups, but in KTx patients this relationship was clearly enhanced. The NMD was delayed in relation to age, and in KTx patients was preserved, being only slightly weaker than in healthy people. CONCLUSIONS: Both endothelium-dependent and -independent arterial wall reactions decrease with age. The endothelial-dependent vascular response is more attenuated in KTx patients than the independent one. The endothelium-independent vasodilation in KTx patients is comparable with that in healthy people.