Survey of cutaneous complications after renal transplantation in Emam Reza and Qaem hospitals, Mashhad

Background and objective: Renal transplantation is an appropriate treatment for end stage renal disease and helps prolongation of patients survival with better quality, but immunosuppressive drugs that are used for inhibition of rejection after transplantation may cause some adverse effects in other organs such as the skin. Apparently, early recognition of those side effects and their appropriate management can reduce morbidity and mortality. This study was designed to study cutaneous complications in renal transplantation recipients. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study cutaneous side effects in one hundred kidney transplant patients who admitted to transplantation clinics of Ghaem and Imam Reza hospital of Mashhad during a six-month period (April to September 2003) were studied. Results: Sixty-five patients were males and 35 cases were female. The mean age was 36 years (SD=14). Totally, cutaneous manifestations were observed in 88% of patients. In an descending order they included hypertrichosis, cushingoid appearance, gingival hypeplasia, steroid acne, common warts, herpes simplex infection, superficial fungal infection, candidiasis. Actinic keratosis, porokeratosis, lymphoma, stria, telangiectasia and sebaceous hyperplasia. Conclusion: Early recognition of these complications and appropriate treatment of them can reduce probable mortality and morbidity.