Magnesium and Calcification index (T50) in renal transplant recipients
Newly diagnosed Posttransplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) occurs in 10-15% of kidney transplant recipients. PTDM doubles the risk of cardiovascular death during the first 10 post-transplant years. Low magnesium levels are frequently present in these patients due to loss of magnesium in the urine. Hypomagnesemia may be associated both with development of PTDM and also with cardiovascular disease.
Low magnesium leads to desensitization of the glucose sensor in the beta cell and promotes insulin resistance in peripheral tissues. Furthermore, low magnesium may also promote calcification processes in the arteries assessed by the T50 test in serum samples.
The T50 test assesses the ability of the blood to prevent formation of toxic calcification particles (CCP2) from calcium and phosphate. The test (T50) reports the time, which is necessary to convert 50% of the precursor CCP1 into CPP2. Low T50 is probably a strong predictor for future cardiovascular death in renal transplant patients. Low T50 may also be associated with reduced mineralization of bone tissue.
In a study on more than 634 renal transplant patients we want to:
1. Assess if levels low levels of magnesium are associated with development of PTDM over the first posttransplant year and also low T50.
2. Assess if levels and change in magnesium and T50 over the first post-transplant year are associated with arterial stiffness and death.
3. Assess if levels and change in magnesium and T50 over the first post-transplant year are associated with low bone mineral density.
Any role of magnesium in these conditions may advocate prophylactic use of magnesium supplements in kidney transplant recipients in the future.
News from 2022:
All analyses of blood samples for T50 were completed by the end of 2021. The results will be published in 2023.