Are large nonfunctional kidneys risk factors for posttransplantation urinary tract infection in patients with end-stage renal disease due to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease?

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of bilateral nephrectomy on posttransplantation urinary tract infection (UTI) among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). METHODS: In a retrospective case-control design, 62 patients with ESRD with ADPKD were divided into 2 groups: (A) 24 patients who underwent bilateral nephrectomies, and (B) 38 patients in whom bilateral nephrectomies had not been done. Pretransplantation and posttransplantation urine cultures were evaluated for UTI. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients with ESRD with ADPKD were enrolled in this study. The average age was 42 years (range, 6-60 years). Forty patients (64.5%) were male and 22 (35.5%) were female. The mean duration of hemodialysis was 24 months (range, 2-120 months), which was the same for both groups. Bilateral nephrectomies were done for 24 participants (38.7%). There were 38 patients (61.3%) in group B who did not have the operation. UTI occurred in 23 patients (37.1%): 6 patients (25%) in group A and 17 patients (44.7%) in group B. The incidence of UTI was not statistically different between the 2 groups (P>.05). Furthermore, no relationship was found between age, gender, blood group, and UTI in patients with ADPKD (P>.05). CONCLUSION: According to our study, the presence of large nonfunctional kidneys is not a risk factor for posttransplantation UTI in patients with ADPKD and ESRD.

Effect of hypertension on transplant kidney function: three year of follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension significantly increases the risk for chronic graft loss and accelerates the deterioration of transplanted kidney function. Aggressive control of blood pressure (BP) is recommended in the posttransplant period when maintenance levels of immunosuppressive drugs are achieved. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the improved control improved the graft survival. METHODS: We compared transplant kidney function in two groups of hypertensive patients matched for age, gender, donor-recipient relation, primary disease, early posttransplant course, and immunosuppressant and hypertensive therapy during 3 years follow-up. The patients were divided into satisfactory and unsatisfactory controlled blood pressure. Group 1 consisted of 98 patients with satisfactory BP control (arterial pressure <160/90 mmHg) and group 2, 98 patients with unsatisfactory BP control. RESULTS: The mean through levels of cyclosporine in whole blood were similar in both groups and did not exceed 185 ng/mL. A slow but significant increase in mean creatinine levels was observed among group 2 during 3 years follow-up, whereas, among group 1, graft function remained stable. Cardiovascular events were observed only in group 2: stroke in one patient and death because of heart failure in one patient. Factors which correlated with development of post transplant hypertension were age, gender, duration of disease before transplant, and underlying disease. CONCLUSION: Lowering BP, even several years posttransplantation, was associated with improved graft and patient survival in renal transplant recipients.

Impact of adequate dialysis before transplantation on development of chronic renal allograft dysfunction in 3-year posttransplant period.

INTRODUCTION: Transplantation is the preferred treatment modality for many patients with end-stage renal diseases. Despite all the efforts, allograft dysfunction remains the most important cause of graft loss. Finding new factors that improve graft survival is mandatory. METHODS: This prospective study included 93 patients transplanted between April 1999 and July 2000. The duration of dialysis prior to transplantation was analyzed with respect to the values before and up to 3 years posttransplantation, including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and blood pressure (BP) using 1-month intervals and triglyceride, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein at 3-month intervals. In this study, graft dysfunction was defined as serum creatinine >1.8 mg/dL. Hypertension was defined as BP > 140/90 on two occasions or treatment with antihypertensive medications. Patients in the hypertensive group were divided into controlled versus uncontrolled hypertensives. RESULTS: The mean BUN and creatinine values of the patients prior to transplantation was 90 +/- 30 and 10.4 +/- 4, respectively. The patients had been on dialysis for an average of 4.7 years. Development of renal allograft dysfunction did not show any relationship to the duration of dialysis ptt. Patients with higher BUN and creatinine levels before transplantation experienced more episodes of renal allograft dysfunction in the 3-year posttransplant period (P < .05 for both BUN and creatinine). The relationship between BUN and creatinine prior to transplantation and risk of renal allograft dysfunction was more powerful among the group of uncontrolled hypertensives. CONCLUSION: Intensive dialysis prior to transplantation may exert positive effects on long-term graft function and survival.

Incidence of cardiovascular risk factors and complications before and after kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death after renal transplantation with an incidence considerably higher than that in the general population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of atherosclerotic cardiovascular complications and the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors prior to and following transplantation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases including coronary artery disease, as well as cerebral and peripheral vascular disease, and cardiovascular risk factors pre- and posttransplantation were analyzed in 500 renal transplant recipients between 1988 and 1992. The mean recipient age at transplantation was 45 +/- 12 years, with 58% men and 7% diabetics. RESULTS: Following transplantation 11.7% developed atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, the majority being coronary artery disease (9.8%). Comparison of the risk factors before and after transplantation showed the increased prevalence of systemic hypertension to be 67% to 86%, of diabetes mellitus, 7% to 16%, and obesity, with a body mass index > 25 kg/m2 from 26% to 48%, whereas the number of smokers was halved to 20%. The triglycerides decreased significantly (from 235 +/- 144 mg/dL to 217 +/- 122 mg/dL) but the total and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol rose significantly (from 232 +/- 65 mg/dL to 273 +/- 62 mg/dL and from 47 +/- 29 mg/dL to 56 +/- 21 mg/dL, respectively). The low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol increase was insignificant (from 180 +/- 62 mg/dL to 189 +/- 53 mg/dL). Upon univariate analysis, cardiovascular diseases were significantly associated with male gender; age over 50 years; diabetes mellitus (DM); smoking; total cholesterol > 200 mg/dL; LDL cholesterol > 180 mg/dL; HDL cholesterol < 55 mg/dL; fibrinogen > 350 mg/dL; body mass index > 25 kg/m2; and more than two antihypertensive agents per day. The Cox proportional hazards model revealed DM with a relative risk (RR) of 4.3; age > 50 years (RR = 2.7); body mass index > 25 kg/m2 (RR = 2.6); smoking (RR = 2.5); and LDL cholesterol > 180 mg/dL (RR = 2.3) as independent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The high incidence of cardiovascular disease following renal transplantation is mainly due to a high prevalence and accumulation of classical risk factors before and following transplantation. The treatment of risk factors must be introduced early in the course of renal failure and continued following transplantation. Future prospective studies should evaluate the success of treatment regarding reduction of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in this high-risk population.

Predictors of cardiovascular events and associated mortality of kidney transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death after renal transplantation. Furthermore, acute coronary syndrome (ACS) attributable to coronary artery disease (CAD) accounts for the majority of deaths due to cardiovascular disease posttransplant. Although renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease, understanding the causes of graft and patient loss is exceedingly important to improve outcomes. METHODS: This observational study included 1200 patients who underwent a kidney transplant between 1988 and 2003. The outcome was the occurrence of an ACS event within a maximum of 15 years after renal transplantation. RESULTS: Of all 215 deaths, 28.3% were caused by complications of CAD, the most common cause of death at our center. On multivariate analysis, diabetes (P = .005), prior transplant (P = .047), body mass index (BMI) at the time of transplant (P = .01), cholesterol level (P = .012), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level (P = .007) during 3 years after transplant were associated with early ACS. In conclusion, diabetes, prior transplant, BMI, cholesterol, and LDL were significantly associated with early ACS highlighting the importance of improved screening and perioperative management.

Effect of body mass index at time of transplantation and weight gain after transplantation on allograft function in kidney transplant recipients in Shiraz.

Chronic renal allograft dysfunction is the most common cause of graft loss, for which there are multiple risk factors, including obesity before transplantation, which is believed to lower long-term renal allograft survival. One hundred eighty-two kidney transplant recipients were studied. Body mass index (BMI) at the date of transplantation was calculated. BMI values were classified into 4 categories: (1) patients with BMI <20, (2) BMI between 20 and <25, (3) BMI between 25 and <30, and (4) BMI > or =30. The minimum follow-up period in this study was 3 years after transplantation. The link between categorized BMI and the presence of renal allograft dysfunction and mortality within 3 years posttransplantation was investigated using independent sample t test. BMI at the date of transplantation showed statistically significant association with presence of renal allograft dysfunction and mortality within 3 years posttransplantation (P = .008, P = .01, respectively). BMI at the date of transplantation has a strong association with outcomes after renal transplantation. The extremes of very high and very low BMI are important risk factors for chronic renal allograft dysfunction; therefore, weight adjustment before kidney transplantation can be useful in improving the function of a transplanted kidney and increasing patient's survival.