Regular Physical Activity in the Prevention of Post-Transplant Diabetes Mellitus in Patients after Kidney Transplantation

Background and Objectives: Post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a significant risk factor for the survival of graft recipients and occurs in 10-30% of patients after kidney transplant (KT). PTDM is associated with premature cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Weight gain, obesity, and dyslipidemia are strong predictors of PTDM, and by modifying them with an active lifestyle it is possible to reduce the incidence of PTDM and affect the long-term survival of patients and grafts. The aim of our study was to determine the effect of regular physical activity on the development of PTDM and its risk factors in patients after KT. Materials and Methods: Participants in the study had to achieve at least 150 min of moderate-intensity physical exertion per week. The study group (n = 22) performed aerobic or combined (aerobic + strength) types of sports activities. Monitoring was provided by the sports tracker (Xiaomi Mi Band 4 compatible with the Mi Fit mobile application). The control group consisted of 22 stable patients after KT. Each patient underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT) at the end of the follow-up. The patients in both groups have the same immunosuppressive protocol. The total duration of the study was 6 months. Results: The patients in the study group had significantly more normal oGTT results at 6 months compared to the control group (p < 0.0001). In the control group, there were significantly more patients diagnosed with PTDM (p = 0.0212) and with pre-diabetic conditions (impaired plasma glucose and impaired glucose tolerance) at 6 months (p = 0.0078). Conclusions: Regular physical activity after KT provides significant prevention against the development of pre-diabetic conditions and PTDM.