ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Poor HLA matched donors may become an additional organ source for renal transplantation. This study is conducted to predict the clinical outcomes of renal transplantation in a poor HLA matched group (0 or 1 or 2 HLA matching) by comparing them with those of HLA haploidentical group. METHODS: This study compared a poor HLA matched group (N=89) with HLA haploidentical group (N=79) to analyze differences between two groups in graft survival, incidence of acute rejection, cause of graft failure, posttransplant serum creatinine at 1, 2, 3, 5 years. Total 168 cases, appeared in the medical records for more than six months in Bong-Saeng Hospital, from December, 1984 to March, 2004 were traced and identified as relevant cases for this study. RESULTS: Allograft survival rate at 1, 3, 5, 10 years for poor HLA matched group and HLA haploidentical group were 100%, 98.6%, 95.4%, 72.5% and 100%, 100%, 96.1%, 86.2% (p=not significant) respectively. Acute rejection developed in 25.8% of poor HLA matched group versus 18.9% of HLA haploidentical group (p=not significant). The most common causes of graft failure in both groups were chronic rejection. CONCLUSIONS: It should be actively encouraged to consider renal transplantation in a poor HLA matched group as the results of this study support that the clinical outcomes of renal transplantation in a poor HLA matched group are equivalent to those of HLA haploidentical group.