Objective: The clinical impact of new-onset diabetes mellitus (DM) after renal transplantation (RT) is frequently underestimated by clinicians. DM after transplantation is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular events. We aimed to identify post-RT risk factors for NODM.

Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 236 non-diabetic patients (mean age 41±12 years; %75 male) between 1995 and 2008. We excluded those diagnosed as DM mellitus at RT time (n=23), greft loss during the two years (n =16), acute rejection, congestive heart failure, active infections (n =19), and those for whom data was not fully available (n=3). At 2 years of follow-up after RT, 34 (19.4%) patients developed DM (group 1). One hundred fourthy one non-diabetic patients were defined as group 2. We have recorded parameters at the time of DM diagnosis such as demographic features, medications, smoking history, blood pressure, daily proteinuria.

Results: Age, body mass index, uric acid, sodium, LDL-cholesterol, CRP values were significantly higher in group 1. The percentage of weight gain (6.8%±5.2 vs. 5.2%±2.9, p=0.08) were similar in two groups. The prevalence of DM was similar between patients under CyA and TAC based immunosuppression.

Conclusions: Baseline BMI, but not the weight gain at 2 years after RT, is an independent risk factor for DM. Importantly, overweight recipients within the high-risk group had raised inflammatory markers. Tailoring clinical strategies may minimize the impact of this complication.