Dyslipidemia and Weight Gain Secondary to Lifestyle Changes in Living Renal Transplant Donors

We evaluated renal function, lipid profile, body weight, and physical activity of living donors in long-term follow-up after nephrectomy. A total of 121 living donors were compared with 81 healthy subjects with normal renal function and no history of any surgery or disease. Before and after donor nephrectomies, we recorded age, body weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, lipids, and serum glucose levels of the donors. Preoperative (baseline) and postoperative (last visit) physical activities of donors and controls were evaluated through the Modified Baecke Questionnaire (occupational activities, sports activities, leisure-time activities). There were no differences between donors and controls for age ( P = .772), gender ( P = .927), and follow-up period ( P = .564). According to baseline levels, blood pressure and serum creatinine were increased and creatinine clearance was decreased ( P < .001 for all). The mean increases in body weight ( P = .012), LDL ( P = .004), and triglyceride ( P < .001) were higher in donors than in controls. But the mean decrease in HDL was not different between controls and donors ( P = .057). Indices of sports and total activities were lower in donors than in controls on the last visit ( P < .001). Indices of occupational and leisure-time activities were similar on the last visit in donors and in controls ( P = .126, P = .083). The alterations in total cholesterol and total activity showed significant negative correlations in donors ( r = −.581, P < .001). Also, the alterations in total cholesterol and body weight showed a significant correlation ( r = .25, P = .02). We followed donors together with serum lipid levels, body weight, and total physical activities as well as blood pressure and renal function tests.