Fractal characteristics of the trabecular pattern of the mandible in patients with renal transplantation.

Objective: In this study, we examined the mandibular trabecular bone structures by performing fractal dimension (FD) analysis in patients who underwent renal transplantation (RTx).

Methods: Our study is an observational study with 69 RTx patients and 35 control group patients. The mean FD values of the patient and control groups were calculated and compared. In addition, biochemical parathyroid hormone (PTH), serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and vitamin-D parameters and FD values of both groups were analyzed.

Results: FD values were significantly lower in the patient group than in the healthy group (p < .05). In the RTx group compared to the control group, ALP (90.71 ± 34.25-66.54 ± 16.8, respectively) (p < .001) and PTH (75.76 ± 38.01-38.17 ± 12.39, respectively) (p < .001) values were higher. There was a positive correlation between the FD values and ALP (r  = .305, p = .011) and a negative correlation between FD values and vitamin-D (r  = .287, p = .017) of patients with RTx.

Conclusion: FD values were found to be lower in patients who underwent RTx compared to the control group. It should be considered that FD analysis can be a method that can be used to evaluate trabecular bone structure in patients undergoing RTx.