Background: Successful RTx from living-related donors, by removal of the uremic milieu and improvement in cardiovascular risk factors can be associated with improvement in indices of arterial stiffness. The aim of this study was to assess the arterial stiffness after one year of follow-up in live related RTx patients.

Methods: The augmentation index (AIx) was determined from arterial waveforms contour analysis recorded by applanation tonometry using SphygmoCor^® device in 31 living related RTx (19 M, age 34.6±8.5 yrs; RTx duration 29.7±24.8 Mo, mean Cr.Cl. = 69.2±1.2ml/min). All studies were performed before CsA administration, at baseline and at one-year follow-up. As a surrogate marker of the pulse wave velocity (PWV) we used the time to shoulder (TTS) parameter on the reconstructed central pulse pressure contour wave.

Results: Overall, during follow-up, mean AIx increased from 13.5±13.3% to 15.6±10.5% (p = NS). TTS increased from 107.7±9.5 ms at baseline to 109.3±9.5 ms at follow-up (p = NS). Biochemical parameters, blood pressure and heart rate remained unchanged over the follow-up period. On univariate analysis, at both moments, AIx and TTS correlated with anthropometric parameters (height and weight) and serum creatinine (independent predictor at baseline R² = 0.443; p < 0.05). There was no correlation of the arterial stiffness parameters with creatinine clearance or CsA therapy (dosage/levels).

Conclusions: In our study we demonstrate that there are no significant overall changes in arterial stiffness properties after one-year follow-up in stable renal transplant patients.