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 cyclospor in, 10 cyclosporin-prednisolone and nine azathioprine-prednisolone wer e supplemented in a double blind randomization cross-over study with f ish oil and com oil for a period of 4 months each. Erythrocyte deforma bility was reduced in the cyclosporin-treated patients and returned to normal values after supplementation of either oil. The oil supplement ation resulted in an increased polyunsaturated fatty acid content in t he plasma phospholipids. An increased erythrocyte membrane polyunsatur ated fatty acid content might correct the lower erythrocyte deformabil ity in cyclosporin treated patients. Therefore, it is probable that th ese changes are membrane-related. The oil supplementation had no effec t on glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow, filtrati on fraction or blood pressure, which does not exclude effects of the c yclosporin-induced rigidified erythrocytes in the acute phase of renal transplantation. Decreased erythrocyte deformability could play a rol e in the cyclosporin-induced deterioration of renal haemodynamics. Thi s may enhance the effects of endothelin, as these patients also had el evated endothelin levels.