ERYTHROCYTE DEFORMABILITY, ENDOTHELIN LEVELS, AND RENAL-FUNCTION IN CYCLOSPORINE-TREATED RENAL-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS - EFFECTS OF INTERVENTION WITH FISH-OIL AND CORN-OIL

Twenty nine stable renal transplant recipients, 10 receiving cyclosporin, 10 cyclosporin-prednisolone and nine azathioprine-prednisolone were supplemented in a double blind randomization cross-over study with fish oil and com oil for a period of 4 months each. Erythrocyte deformability was reduced in the cyclosporin-treated patients and returned to normal values after supplementation of either oil. The oil supplementation resulted in an increased polyunsaturated fatty acid content in the plasma phospholipids. An increased erythrocyte membrane polyunsaturated fatty acid content might correct the lower erythrocyte deformability in cyclosporin treated patients. Therefore, it is probable that these changes are membrane-related. The oil supplementation had no effect on glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow, filtration fraction or blood pressure, which does not exclude effects of the cyclosporin-induced rigidified erythrocytes in the acute phase of renal transplantation. Decreased erythrocyte deformability could play a role in the cyclosporin-induced deterioration of renal haemodynamics. This may enhance the effects of endothelin, as these patients also had elevated endothelin levels.