*Purpose: Among Kidney Transplant (KT) patients, sarcopenia, loss of muscle mass, is prevalent and has been associated with post-KT mortality. The burden of dynapenia, an age-related loss of muscle strength and a downstream consequence of sarcopenia, is unclear. Therefore, we studied the prevalence of dynapenia using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) among kidney transplant candidates and recipients.

*Methods: In a prospective cohort study (2009-2021) comprising of 3545 adult KT candidates enrolled at evaluation and 940 adult KT recipients enrolled at admission, SPPB (gait speed, chair stands and balance) was measured at enrollment. A SPPB score of <10 was defined as dynapenia. Prevalence of dynapenia was compared by age (18-64 and ≥65 years). Logistic regressions were used to identify correlates of dynapenia.

*Results: 26.8% of candidates and 19.6% of recipients were older. At evaluation for KT, dynapenia prevalence was 50.5% in younger candidates and 68.4% in older candidates. At admission for KT, dynapenia prevalence was 47.8% in younger candidates and 72.3% in older candidates (Figure 1). Dynapenia was associated with older age, Black race, and obese in both cohorts, while also associated with sex, type of dialysis, and overweight in candidates.

*Conclusions: KT patients experience a high burden of dynapenia even at younger ages. Providers should be more intentional in monitoring for dynapenia in minority and older groups.

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