Incidence of osteonecrosis after renal transplantation.

The incidence of osteonecrosis was 24% in 248 patients who had received 262 kidney transplants 1971-1982. However, based only on patients at risk, i.e. alive with functioning transplants, the incidence at 1, 3 and 6 years was found to be 13, 27 and 36%; after six years no new cases were found. The relative increase in body-weight at 180 days was predictive as regards risk for osteonecrosis, while the cumulative dose of steroids was not. This suggests that individual sensitivity to steroids rather than the absolute cumulative dose is involved in the development of osteonecrosis.