The Effect of Ramadan Fasting on the Kidney Function of Renal Transplant Recipients

Abstract

Introduction: Fasting during the month of Ramadan, from dawn to sunset, is a religious obligation for healthy adult Moslems. Kidney transplant recipients are usually advised to liberalize fluid intake and are generally discouraged from fasting. However, stable kidney transplant recipients are often keen to fast Ramadan.
Methods: Twenty stable renal transplant recipients under regular follow-up at Tajoura Heart Center, Tripoli, Libya, voluntarily chose to fast during Ramadan (September 2008). Their physical and biochemical parameters were recorded on weekly basis, starting two weeks before and ending two weeks after Ramadan.
Results: Eleven males with a mean age of 41.7 ± 9.8 years and nine females with a mean age of 44.9 ± 12.3 years completed the follow-up period. They had a mean post-transplantation duration of 8.5 years, with a range of 1.5-26 years. All had normal graft function at the start of the study. Drug doses were taken just after sunset (breakfast) and before dawn (suhoor). None of them experienced any undue fatigue, dizziness or thirst compared to their experience of fasting before the onset of renal failure. Their body weight, blood pressure, cyclosporine level and urine volume were stable during the study period. There were no significant differences between mean serum levels of urea and creatinine and mean creatinine clearance measured two weeks prior to Ramadan, at the end of Ramadan, and two weeks after Ramadan among both male and female patients.
Conclusion: This study suggests that fasting during the month of Ramadan is safe for kidney transplant recipients with stable renal function.

Keywords: Fasting; Kidney Transplant Recipients; Ramadan