Vitamin D deficiency may predispose patients to increased risk of kidney transplant rejection

Table 3 Demographic characteristics and laboratory findings according to rejection status at the time of graft biopsy

Rejection	No	Yes	P value
Patients, n	27	25
Mean age, yr	42 ± 10.9	39 ± 12.9	0.316
Female, n (%)	16 (59.3)	22 (88.0)	0.020
DM, n (%)/HT, n (%)	7 (25.9)/13 (48)	8 (32.0)/12 (48)	0.629/0.991
Donor type Cadaver, n (%)	7 (25.9)	11 (44.0)	0.171
Donor age, yr	47.7 ± 9.6	51.8 ± 9.6	0.133
Time since transplantation, yr	4.4 ± 1.4	5.3 ± 3.1	0.236
Number of HLA mismatches	2.2 ± 1.2	2.6 ± 1.2	0.263
DSA, n (%)	0	14 (56.0)	< 0.001
Cyclosporine/tacrolimus serum levels, ng/mL	576 ± 98/4.7 ± 0.9	490 ± 29/4.9 ± 0.7	0.063/0.352
MMF, gr/d	1.7 ± 0.3	1.7 ± 0.3	0.601
ESRD actual, n (%)	5 (18.5)	12 (48)	0.024
Hemoglobin, g/dL	11.5 ± 2.2	10.4 ± 2.3	0.095
Glucose, mg/dL	95 ± 37.7	107 ± 46.7	0.399
Albumin, g/dL	4.0 ± 0.5	3.5 ± 0.6	0.001
Uric acid, mg/dL	7.3 ± 1.6	7.7 ± 1.6	0.364
Creatinine, mg/dL	1.78 ± 0.44	2.59 ± 1.40	0.016
eGFR, mL/min/1.73 m²	45 ± 19.3	36 ± 18.3	0.012
Cholesterol, mg/dL	177 ± 37.2	181 ± 49.8	0.810
Triglyceride, mg/dL	180 ± 103.4	196 ± 104.1	0.379
Calcium, mg/dL	8.8 ± 0.79	8.7 ± 0.92	0.562
Phosphorus, mg/dL	3.9 ± 1.51	5.3 ± 1.96	0.009
PTH, pg/mL (range)	197 (59-440)	310 (106-955)	0.022
Vitamin D, ng/mL	14.7 ± 7.2	9.7 ± 3.4	0.003
CRP, mg/mL	20 ± 24.9	23 ± 43.2	0.05

CRP: C-reactive protein; DM: Diabetes mellitus; DSA: Donor-specific antibody; eGFR: Estimation glomerular filtration rate; ESRD: End-stage renal disease; HLA: Human leukocyte antigen; HT: Hypertension; MMF: Mofetil mycophenolate; PTH: Parathyroid hormone.