Renal transplantation: outcomesRamadan fast in kidney transplant recipients: a prospective comparative study
Section snippets
Patients and methods
A total of 145 kidney transplant recipients (age 18 to 64 years) were selected. They all had stable renal function for at least 6 months prior to the study with serum creatinine less than 200 μmol/L and frequency of drug intake was maximally twice per day. Patients with active peptic ulcer discase or renal stone disease were excluded. There were 71 patients in the fasting group and 74 in the nonfasting one.
Age, sex, body mass index (BMI), original kidney disease, and posttransplant period were
Results
The eating habits of patients in both fasting and nonfasting groups during Ramadan were nearly the same and they tolerated the month well. Serum creatinine and blood urea did not show any significant change between the two groups during the period of the study (Table 2). There was no significant change in the blood sugar counts between the comparable groups (Table 2). However, there was a tendency for higher blood sugar in patients with type I diabetes mellitus compared to those with type II
Discussion
Fasting during Ramadan is an important event for Muslim kidney transplant recipients. The improvement in graft function and survival allows them to share normal life activities including Ramadan fast. The usual advice that liberalization of fluid intake is important for normal kidney function discouraged many people from fasting during Ramadan. Such advice is partly related to the common belief that the transplanted kidney cannot concentrate urine. Rashed et al7 demonstrated an intact renal
Conclusion
Fasting during Ramadan by kidney transplant recipients with normal kidney function is proved to be safe. Diabetic patients should be educated and given special care regarding their diabetes control during fasting.
Acknowledgements
We thank Dr Mini Abraham for the statistical analysis and the outpatient nursing staff for guiding the fasting patients during Ramadan.
References (16)
- et al.
Nutrition
(1999) - et al.
Int J Cardiol
(1999) - et al.
Lancet
(1989) - et al.
Transplant Proc
(1999) - et al.
Br J Nutr
(1990) - et al.
Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss
(1998) - et al.
Acta Neurol Scand
(2000) - et al.
Diabetic Care
(1998)
Cited by (20)
Fasting outcomes in people with diabetes and chronic kidney disease in East London during Ramadan 2018: The East London diabetes in Ramadan survey
2019, Diabetes Research and Clinical PracticeCitation Excerpt :Furthermore, one study of 31 patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) showed that PD patient did not experience any significant morbidity or deterioration in renal function, and biochemical indices remained stable [15]. A number of studies of renal transplant recipients also suggest that stable patients are able to fast without any significant adverse effects [16–19]. In a systematic review studies of Ramadan fasting and CKD was conducted in 2014 and found that amongst 140 subjects with CKD reported in the literature, no severe adverse effects of fasting on renal function were found [20].
Impact of ramadan fasting on renal allograft function
2005, Transplantation ProceedingsThe Impact of Hot Ambient Temperature and Prolonged Fasting Duration during Ramadan on Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Literature Review
2023, International Journal of NephrologyEffects of fasting on solid organ transplant recipients during Ramadan - A practical guide for healthcare professionals
2021, Clinical Medicine, Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London