Prevalence and factors associated with anemia among kidney transplant recipients: an analytical case series at CHU Gabrel Montpied de Clermont-Ferrand, France

Abstract

Context and objective. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major global public health issue, and kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice. Post-transplant anemia is a common complication associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with anemia in kidney transplant recipients. Methods. This was a retrospective descriptive study involving kidney transplant recipients aged 18 years or older, with a transplant duration of over six months at CHU Gabriel Montpied. Collected data included sociodemographic, clinical (hypertension, diabetes, immunosuppressive treatments), and biological parameters (hemoglobin, ferritin, vitamin B12, C-reactive protein (CRP)). Anemia was defined according to WHO criteria: Hb <13 g/dL in men and <12 g/dL in women. Results. Among 104 record data studied, the prevalence of anemia was 75%. Among anemic patients, 85% had hypertension, with a median graft duration of 4.5 years. Elevated CRP, iron deficiency, and vitamin B12 deficiency were observed in 65%, 45%, and 30% of anemic patients, respectively, with a median Hb level of 10.9 g/dL. Multivariate analysis identified elevated CRP, graft duration, and the use of Thymoglobulin as independent factors associated with anemia (p<0.05). Conclusion. Post-transplant anemia is common and is associated with inflammation and nutritional deficiencies. Optimized management may improve both patient and graft outcomes. Received: March 26th, 2025 Accepted: August 11Th, 2025 https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/aamed.v18i4.7