OSTEONECROSIS OF THE HEAD OF THE FEMOR FOLLOWING KIDNEY-TRANSPLANTATION AND INCREASED PYRIDINOLINE (P-) AND DESOXYPYRIDINOLINE (DP-) CROSS-LINKS-EXCRETION

Osteonecrosis of the head of the femor (OHF) belongs to the severe for ms of posttransplantation bone complications. Early diagnosis of OHF i s very important but rather difficult. Determinations of P- and DP in urine (in mu g/g creatinine) were believed to help in the diagnosis of OHF. Accordingly 24-h-urinary excretions of P and DP were examined an d compared in 8 renal transplant patients with OHF (group A) and 8 pat ients without OHF (group B). Age, sex, duration following transplantat ion, immunosuppressive therapy, and serum creatinine levels were ident ical in both groups.