Vitamin K, especially its K2 form, is considered to be a protective factor against developing vascular changes and bone lesions that are common complications in kidney transplant (KTx) recipients. There is a growing number of studies showing that KTx patients are at risk of vitamin K deficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intake of vitamin K1 and K2 in the diet of patients in the late period after KTx. During a routine visit at one outpatient transplantation clinic in Central Europe, a diet survey questionnaire was filled in by 151 clinically stable KTx recipients and compared with medical history, anthropometric measurements and laboratory tests. Mean vitamin K1 intake was 120.9 ± 49 μg/day and vitamin K2 (MK, menaquinone) intake 28.69 ± 11.36 μg/day, including: MK-4: 25.9 ± 9.9 μg/day; MK-5: 0.1 ± 0.2 μg/day; MK-6: 0.2 ± 0.4 μg/day; MK-7: 0.2 ± 0.23 μg/day; MK-8: 1 ± 1.9 μg/day; MK-9: 0.9 ± 2.3 μg/day; and MK-10: 0.2 ± 0.5 μg/day. Our study showed that KTx recipients’ diets contained adequate amounts of vitamin K1, whereas the intake of vitamin K2 seemed insufficient.
About The Expert
Małgorzata Kluch
Patrycja Bednarkiewicz
Magdalena Orzechowska
Piotr Grzelak
Ilona Kurnatowska
References
PubMed