Post-transplantation Osteoporosis

Abstract

Transplantation has become an established treatment in many end-stage organ diseases and hematologic diseases. The survival rate after transplantation has greatly improved due to the development of newer immunosuppressive drugs bringing the issues of post-transplantation complications to light. Osteoporosis and osteoporosis-related fragility fractures are feared complications, greatly influencing the quality of life in transplant patients. In addition to the conventional risk factors for osteoporosis, post-transplantation osteoporosis is caused by factors related to end-stage organ disease prior to transplantation and immunosuppressive therapy after transplantation. Since the rate of bone loss in post-transplantation osteoporosis is thought to be at the greatest immediately following transplantation, early measures need to be taken to prevent and treat post-transplantation osteoporosis. Both conventional and newer therapeutics for osteoporosis are largely being studied and used in practice for the prevention and treatment of post-transplantation osteoporosis.