Long-term Survival After Renal Transplantation: The Influence of Pretransplant Bilateral Nephrectomy.

Douglas JF, Craig WJ.

Clinical Transplants 2010, Chapter 11

Abstract

The long-term survival of first successful renal transplants, along with overall patient survival, was studied retrospectively in 309 recipients at Belfast City Hospital between 1968 and 1986, of whom 155 had undergone prior bilateral nephrectomy (BN) and 154 had not (non-BN). The groups were comparable as regards mean age, gender, primary diagnoses, clinical status, pre-existing hypertension and pre-transplant dialysis and transfusion. There were 34 organs (BN 14, non-BN 20) from living related donors. Donor ages were comparable, as were histocompatibility findings. Recipients more than 60, with diabetic nephropathy, or with other co-morbidity were excluded. All recipients took azathioprine and low-dose steroid as maintenance antirejection, fewer than 3% switching to cyclosporine or other drugs during first graft survival. Mean BN graft survival was 15.9 years (95% CI 14.1-17.7) compared to 12.9 for non-BN (95% CI 11.3-14.5; p < 0.01). Mean BN patient survival was 19.4 years (95% CI 17.6-21.2) and non-BN was 14.9 years (95% CI 13.2-16.6; p < 0.01). Cumulative BN graft survival was 76.8% at 5 years, 61.6% at 10 years, and 37.4% at 20 years, compared to 67.1%, 53.5% and 27.0% for non-BN (p < 0.01). Overall BN patient survival was 84.5% at 5 years, 74.2% at 10 years and 51.6% at 20 years, with non-BN equivalents of 72.3%, 49.0% and 24.5%, respectively (p < 0.01). Long-term BN survivors also had less hypertension than non-BN (22.8% v 54.8% at 20 years; p < 0.05) which may be relevant to their better survival. Overall (BN plus non-BN) median graft (14.4 years) and patient (17.6 years) survival are testimony to the continuing long-term success of the low-dose steroid regime followed in Belfast from 1968 to 1986.