VITAMIN D STATUS IN PATIENTS WITH KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION

Summary: Vitamin D is a widely recognized factor in mineral and bone metabolism. Re- cently a larger number of publications deal with the pleiotropic effects of vitamin D - renoprotection, modulating immune response, etc. The serum levels of the two metabolites of vitamin D - 25-OH vit. D and 1, 25-OH vit. D are reduced in patients with advanced CKD, which is the cornerstone for secondary hyperpara- thyroidism. After kidney transplantation vitamin D insufficiency is highly preva- lent due to several factors - reduced sun exposure, immunosuppressive agents, reduced kidney function, etc. The aim of our review is to collect the current data concerning vitamin D and kidney transplantation and to give further recommen- dations about therapeutic strategy. Low serum level of vitamin D is a highly prevalent problem in kidney transplant recipients, having complex importance and etiology, without fully clarified treatment plan.