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Objective Few clinical studies have been reported on the reversibility of uremic cardiomyopathy (UC) after renal transplantation. This article aimed to investigate the cardiac structure and function of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing renal transplantation using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Methods This study included 38 ESRD patients undergoing renal transplantation in the National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, General Hospital of Eastern Theater Command, from September 2015 to February 2017. All the patients received initial CMR examination at 1－2 days before renal transplantation and during the postoperative follow-up. At the median follow-up time of 3.5 (3.4-3.7), 7.0 (3.7-9.5) and 8.4 (7.1-12.7) months, we recorded the CMR parameters, including the left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), end-systolic volume (LVESV), end-diastolic mass (LVEDM), end-systolic mass (LVESM), ejection fraction (LVEF), and native myocardial T1 relaxation time, and compared the parameters obtained before and after surgery. Results Twenty-five of the patients completed the postoperative follow-up, who averaged 27.5 years of age, with no history of diabetes mellitus or ischemic heart disease, and treated by dialysis for 1.7 (1.5-2.2) years. At 7.0 months after renal transplantation, as compared with the baseline, the patients showed significant decreases in the LVEDV ([96.7 ± 22.8] vs [83.4 ± 17.4] mL/m², P < 0.05), LVESV ([44.3 ± 14.8] vs [33.0 ± 10.9] mL/m², P < 0.05) and LVEDM ([67.1 ± 24.2] vs [59.0 ± 17.0] mL/m², P < 0.05), but an increase in the LVEF ([54.1 ± 10.6] % vs [60.9 ± 9.6] %, P < 0.01). The LVEDV and LVESV were also remarkably lower at 3.5 and 8.4 months than the baseline (P < 0.001), and so were the left ventricular at basal, mid, apical and global native T1 relaxation times at 3.5, 7.0 and 8.4 months (P < 0.05). Conclusion For young ESRD patients with no history of diabetes mellitus or ischemic heart disease and on short-term dialysis, left ventricular dilatation, systolic dysfunction and diffuse myocardial fibrosis are reversible after renal transplantation. Native T1 relaxation time can be used as a sensitive indicator to evaluate the degree of diffuse myocardial fibrosis in ESRD patients.
RESUMO
Objective Few studies have paid attention to time-zero renal biopsy in living kidney transplantation so far. This article aimed to investigate the risk factors of latent pathologic changes in living donors by time-zero renal biopsy (TO-RBx) and the predictive value in the allograft function of recipients early after living kidney transplantation.Methods We retrospectively analysed the clinical data of 89 renal transplant recipients and living donors who received TO-RBx at Nanjing General Hospital from January 2008 to December 2016. According to the 2007 Banff criteria, the common pathologic changes in living donors such as latent glomeruloscerosis (GS), tubular atrophy (CT), interstitial fibrosis (CI), arteriolar hyaline thickening (AH) and vascular fibrous intimal thickening (CV) were scored. To analyze the influencing factors for different pathological changes and evaluate its predictive value in the allograft function of recipients in 1, 3, 6 months after living renal transplantation.Results Of all the TO-RBx specimens, 23 cases (25.84%) with GS (21 were mild change, 1 was moderate change and 1 was severe change), 33 cases (37.08%) with CT/CI changes (30 were mild change and 3 were moderate change) and 37 cases (41.57%) with AH/CV changes (36 were mild change and 1 was moderate change). GS was related to the donor age (P=0.042); CT/CI changes were related to donor age, gender and systolic pressure (P=0.019；0.006；0.01); arterial changes were related to donor gender and blood triglyceride level (P=0.029；0.049). Within 3 and 6 months after living donor renal transplantation, the eGFR of renal transplant recipients with GS lesions \[(65.96±17.17), (69.52±19.1)mL/min·1.73m2\] were significantly lower than the groups without lesions \[(76.91±18.98), (79.52±18.91)mL/min·1.73m2\] (P＜0.05).Conclusion Time-zero renal biopsy has significance in terms of predicting the allograft function in 6 months after transplantation. It can guide the formulation and adjustment of postoperative immunosuppressive regimens for recipients. Besides, it can also detect the latent pathologic changes in living donors and is one of the important evidence for establishing a personalized follow-up plan for donors after surgery. This method is practical in clinical.