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Background: The goal of this study was to review the results of 279 laparoscopic living donor nephrectomies (LLDN) regarding outcomes of using the left or the right kidney., Methods: Among 279 patients who underwent LLDN between August 1998 and April 2009, 260 underwent a left (group L) and 19, a right (group R) nephrectomy. The two groups were compared regarding intra- and postoperative parameters, including pre- and postoperative renal function, length of surgery, conversion to an open approach, delayed graft function, and complications., Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding preoperative glomerular filtration rate (L = 129.5 ± 32 mL/min versus group R = 127.3 ± 26 mL/min), length of surgery (group L = 228 ± 58 minutes versus group R = 226 ± 62 minutes group), postoperative donor creatinine (group L = 1.36 ± 0.9 mg/dL versus group R = 1.48 ± 0.8 mg/dL), conversion to open (group L = 6.6% versus group R = 5.3%), delayed graft function (group L = 7.2% versus group R = 6.3%) and recipient postoperative creatinine at 1 month (group L = 1.54 ± 1.4 mg/dL versus group R = 1.32 ± 1.1 mg/dL). There were three intraoperative donor complications in group L (bleeding in one donor required transfusion), and none in group R. Similarly, there was a great albeit not a significant difference in the number of major postoperative donor complications among group L (n = 16) versus group R (n = 2). The right kidney was chosen because of the number of vessels (n = 5), presence of cysts (n = 5), size and renal function (n = 6), presence of renal stones (n = 2), and tortuous ureter (n = 1). The reasons for conversion to open included bleeding, anatomic issues, and presence of adhesions. It should be noted that during the last 3 years there were no conversions to open, whereas the only conversion among group R was the first case., Conclusions: Intra- and postoperative parameters were comparable between the groups. Considering the limitations of the small sample size of right LLDNs in this study, it appears that it is as safe and effective as a left procedure. The learning curve is extremely important, as can be seen by the lack of conversion in the last 3 years., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Primary graft non-function (PNF) is a rare, life-threatening complication of liver transplantation. Increasing use of extended criteria donor pools and high-risk recipients seem to influence the incidence of PNF. Primary failure is associated with high patient morbidity and inferior graft survival. The only available treatment for PNF is emergency hepatic retransplantation, which is also correlated with significant morbidity and mortality. Therefore, researchers are working to identify risk factors of diagnostic value to prevent PNF. The current study attempted to explore liver proteomic patterns in patients with PNF. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), we compared liver protein homogenates from 3 patients with PNF to those obtained from 6 healthy liver samples to identify potential new biomarkers of PNF. Our comparisons revealed 21 proteins with differential expression (13 upregulated and 8 downregulated). Most of these proteins are involved in energy metabolism, lipid metabolism, peptide cleavage, cell differentiation, and apoptosis. Although none of these proteins appeared more than once in separate analyses, this preliminary study shows that two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and LC-MS may allow identification of characteristic proteins to be used as biomarkers of a life-threatening complication of liver transplantation. Larger-scale analyses could improve patient care by finding suitable prognostic and therapeutic options. These data represent the first global proteomic approach to study PNF.

Aim: To determine prevalence of delayed graft function (DGF) in renal transplant patients at the Clinical Hospital Center in Osijek (KBCO) and its association with graft function 6 months after transplantation (TX)., Methods: The study included 55 patients, mean age 49 +/- 11 (27 - 70) years, after deceased donor kidney TX in KBCO from 2007 to March 2012. Two grafts did not survive a week (one for sudden death and another for the renal artery thrombosis, in the first 24 hours, respectively). The method of the survey comprised of taking data from the medical records and statistical analysis (SPSS)., Results: DGF, defined as the need for hemodialysis (HD) for more than 7 days after TX, was found in 28 of 53 recipients. DGF was more common in women (p=0.022). Patients with DGF had significantly higher creatininemia at discharge (p=0.003). Using multivariate analysis, none of the examined characteristics (recipient's gender, age at TX, basic renal illness, previous TX number, pretransplantation dialysis method and duration, donor's age and cause of death, number of HLA mismatches, cold ischemia duration and donor's creatininaemia, initial immunosuppressive therapy) showed significant impact on the occurrence of DGF. Patients with DGF did not differ from those without DGF in creatininemia 6 months after TX., Conclusion: The overall incidence of DGF was high and similar to that in previously published reports, but more common in women. In this study, previously known risk factors, like cold ischemia time and cause of death of the donor, were not associated with the development of DGF. Although DGF unfavorably impacts posttransplantation course, the study did not found its association with renal graft function 6 months after TX.

Objective: To find the reasons for dysfunction in renal graft., Methods: A total of 27 patients with failed allografted kidneys underwent transplant nephrectomy from 2001 to 2010. The patients' data were collected separately. The pathologic diagnosis was made according to the Banff 2009 standard., Results: All the operations were successful. The pathologic reports showed that 15 cases were acute rejection complicated with other factors (1 case was infected by Bacillus tuberculosis, 2 by mold, and 1 with IgA, 6 were found thrombus in operation), 6 cases were chronic rejection complicated with other factors [2 cases were acute rejection, and 2 cases were posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD)], 4 cases were end-stage renal graft, and 2 PTLD alone. A total of 13 cases were human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatch, of which, 11 were confirmed as rejection., Conclusion: Rejection complicated with other factors is the most important reason for dysfunction in renal graft, such as thrombus and infection. HLA mismatch may cause the rejection. End-stage renal graft or PTLD also has an important position in the reason for nephrograft dysfunction.

Background and Objectives: Current tools to predict outcomes after kidney transplantation are inadequate. The objective of this study was to determine the association of perioperative urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and IL-18 with poor 1-year allograft function (return to dialysis or estimated GFR<30 ml/min per 1.73 m(2))., Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and IL-18 from early post-transplant urine was measured in this prospective, multicenter study of deceased-donor kidney transplant recipients. The outcome of poor allograft function at 1 year relative to these biomarkers using multivariable logistic regression and net reclassification improvement was examined. Also, the interaction between delayed graft function and the biomarkers on the outcome were evaluated, and the change in biomarkers over consecutive days related to the outcome using trend tests was examined., Results: Mean age for the 153 recipients was 54 ± 13 years. Delayed graft function occurred in 42%, and 24 (16%) recipients had the 1-year outcome. Upper median values for neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and IL-18 on the first postoperative day had adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of 6.0 (1.5-24.0) and 5.5 (1.4-21.5), respectively. Net reclassification improvement (95% confidence interval) was significant for neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and IL-18 at 36% (1%-71%) and 45% (8%-83%), respectively. There was no significant interaction between biomarkers and delayed graft function on the outcome. Change in biomarkers moderately trended with the outcome., Conclusions: Perioperative urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and IL-18 are associated with poor 1-year allograft function, suggesting their potential for identifying patients for therapies that minimize the risk of additional injury.

Purpose: To assess the importance of intraoperative management of recipient hemodynamics for immediate versus delayed graft function., Methods: The retrospective study of 1966 consecutive renal transplants performed in our department between June 1980 and December 2009 analyzed several perioperative hemodynamic factors: central venous pressure (CVP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) as well as volumes of fluids, fresh frozen plasma (FFP), albumin, and whole blood transfusions. We examined their influence on renal graft function parameters: immediate diuresis, serum creatinine levels, acute rejection, chronic transplant dysfunction, and graft survival., Results: Mean CVP was 9.23 ± 2.65 mm Hg and its variations showed no impact on graft function. We verified a twofold greater risk of chronic allograft dysfunction among patients with CVP ≥ 11 mm Hg (P < .001). Mean MAP was 93.74 ± 13.6 mm Hg; graft survivals among subjects with MAP ≥ 93 mm Hg were greater than those of patients with MAP < 93 mm Hg (P = .04). On average, 2303.6 ± 957.4 mL of saline solutions were infused during surgery. Patients who received whole blood transfusions (48%) showed a greater incidence of acute rejection episodes (ARE) (P = .049) and chronic graft dysfunction (P < .001). Patients who received FFP (55.7%), showed a higher incidence of ARE (P < .001). Only 4.6% of patients (n = 91) received human albumin with a lower incidence of ARE (P = .045) and chronic graft dysfunction (P = .024). Logistic binary regression analysis revealed that plasma administration was an independent risk factor for ARE (P < .001) and chronic dysfunction (P = .028). Volume administration (≥ 2500 mL) was also an independent risk factor for chronic allograft dysfunction (P = .016). Using Cox regression, we verified volume administration ≥ 2500 mL to be the only independent risk factor for graft failure (P < .001)., Conclusion: MAP ≥ 93 mm Hg and perioperative fluid administration <2500 mL were associated with greater graft survival. Albumin infusion seemed to be a protective factor, while CVP ≥ 11 mm Hg, whole blood, and FFP transfusions were associated with higher rates of ARE and chronic graft dysfunction., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Delayed graft function affects up to 50% of kidney transplant recipients. Some guidelines recommend surveillance biopsies beginning 7 days after engraftment. This may be unnecessary with anti-thymocyte globulin induction., Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of deceased-donor renal transplant recipients with delayed graft function., Results: One hundred eleven patients met the inclusion criteria. The incidence of rejections during delayed graft function was 2.7%. They were diagnosed between 9 and 11 days after transplant. The subsequent incidence of rejection at 12-month follow-up was 13.5% (n=15). The median time to rejection after transplant was 10 weeks. Fourteen of 15 patients had subtherapeutic immunosuppression. The only risk factor associated with later rejection after delayed graft function was use of donors after cardiac death., Conclusions: Early rejection during delayed graft function with anti-thymocyte globulin induction and maintenance immunosuppression with tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids is rare. When later rejection occurs, it is at a median of 10 weeks after a transplant. Two of the 3 early rejections were antibody mediated. Later rejections were associated with subtherapeutic immunosuppression and donors after cardiac death. Biopsies need not be performed during the early postoperative period when anti-thymocyte globulin is used with tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids.

Background: The aim of this study was to report current anaesthetic management brain-dead organ donors and to assess its impact on delayed kidney graft function (DGF)., Methods: To achieve this retrospective multicenter study, brain-dead patient records were analysed for the years 2005 to 2007. Expanded donor criteria, length of stay in ICU, duration of brain death, respect of recommended cold ischemia time, preoperative and intraoperative management, type of anaesthesia, hemodynamic and respiratory parameters during organ retrieval, and impact of anaesthesia on DGF were analysed., Results: One hundred and forty-nine out of 165 files were available. Sixty-two percent of donors received anaesthetic drugs. There were no differences in demographic characteristics between the anaesthesia group (group A) and the no-anaesthesia group (group NA). In group NA, the mean arterial pressure (MAP)>65 mm Hg was more frequent (53% vs. 29%, P<0.01), but did not differ for maximal MAP. In group A, maximal heart rate was higher (120 vs. 105b/min, P=0.02) and donors received significantly more colloids (P<0.01). Independent risk factors of DGF included absence of hydroxyethyl starch infusion during the preoperative period and mechanical ventilation without PEEP., Conclusion: During organ retrieval, 62% of organ donors received anaesthetic drugs. Use of anaesthesia lead to lower MAP requiring more fluid challenge with colloids but did not influence the DGF., (Copyright © 2011 Société française d’anesthésie et de réanimation (Sfar). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.)

Static cold storage is the most prevalent method for renal allograft preservation. Several solutions have been designed to counteract the detrimental effects of cold ischemia and reperfusion. The aim of this study was to appraise the evidence for the currently available preservation solutions. We performed a systematic literature search using MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, the Transplant Library and trial registries. Inclusion criteria specified any comparative, prospective study for deceased donor renal allografts. Studies were assessed for methodological quality. The primary outcome was delayed graft function (DGF). Fifteen trials with a total of 3584 kidneys were included. Eurocollins was associated with a higher risk of DGF than University of Wisconsin solution (UW) in two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) in two RCTs. UW was associated with an equal risk of DGF compared with Celsior in three RCTs and HTK in two RCTs. There was limited data regarding other comparisons and outcomes. The choice of preservation solution has an effect on the incidence of DGF, which might, in turn, affect long-term outcomes. Both UW and HTK have lower rates of DGF than Eurocollins. There is no difference in the incidence of DGF with the use of Celsior, HTK and UW. These findings are supported by registry data., (© Copyright 2011 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.)

Objectives: Assessment of graft function in experimental cardiac transplant has been underused by insufficient methods (echo-cardiography, magnetic resonance imaging). The isolated reperfused working-heart model is an excellent tool for hemodynamic evaluation of rodent hearts. So far, it has never been used in a cardiac transplant setting. Our study tries to combine the in vivo technique of a rat heart transplant model with the ex vivo method of an isolated working heart., Materials and Methods: Heterotopic heart transplants have been performed in rats with a nonsuture cuff technique. After 8 hours of cold ischemia and 24 hours of reperfusion, grafts were mounted on the working heart. To assess graft function, cardiac output was measured with increasing levels of afterload pressure. Nontransplanted hearts were mounted directly to the working heart apparatus to serve as a control group. Each heart was assessed subjectively by the Stanford score before being mounted on the working-heart apparatus., Results: The working-heart assessment detected significantly impaired graft function in the transplant group compared with control hearts. In contrast, functional assessment with the score-system could not detect any difference between transplanted and native hearts., Conclusions: The isolated working-heart model is an excellent tool for assessing graft function after experimental heart transplant in rodents.

Objectives: To compare transplant outcomes between expanded criteria donor kidneys and standard criteria donor kidneys., Materials and Methods: All adult renal transplants from deceased donors performed in Saudi Arabia over a 24-month period were included. Donor and recipient factors were recorded, and their effects on outcomes with expanded criteria donor and standard criteria donor kidneys were compared. Standard criteria donor kidneys were further subgrouped into optimal and suboptimal groups, and outcomes were compared., Results: A total of 280 deceased-donor kidney transplants were performed during the study period. Of these, 61 (21.8%) involved expanded criteria donor kidneys. Cold ischemia time and prevalence of delayed graft function were similar between expanded criteria and standard criteria kidneys (P = .7 and P = .8). Graft survival rates at 2 years were also similar (93.3% vs 94.6%; P = .8). Delayed graft function exerted a negative effect on 2-year graft survival in both the expanded group (hazard ratio, 4.9; 95% CI 3.2-7.5; P = .001) and the standard group (hazard ratio, 4.6; 95% CI 3.24-7.5; P = .001). No difference was found between the 2 standard criteria subgroups with respect to serum creatinine value at the end of follow-up (P = .8), delayed graft function prevalence (P =.5), or 2-year graft survival (P = .8). The only independent factor affecting graft survival was delayed graft function (P = .001). No independent effect was seen for expanded criteria donor versus standard criteria donor, donor serum creatinine level, or recipient age., Conclusions: Similar short-term outcomes were found for expanded criteria and standard criteria kidney recipients. Delayed graft function was associated with significant risk of graft loss in both groups, with decreases in 2-year graft survival of 33.3% and 18.3%. No difference was seen between the 2 subtypes of standard criteria donor kidneys.

The ability to predict outcomes following a kidney transplant is limited by the complex physiologic decline of kidney failure, a latent factor that is difficult to capture using conventional comorbidity assessment. The frailty phenotype is a recently described inflammatory state of increased vulnerability to stressors resulting from decreased physiologic reserve and dysregulation of multiple physiologic systems. We hypothesized that frailty would be associated with delayed graft function, based on putative associations between inflammatory cytokines and graft dysfunction. We prospectively measured frailty in 183 kidney transplant recipients between December 2008 and April 2010. Independent associations between frailty and delayed graft function were analyzed using modified Poisson regression. Preoperative frailty was independently associated with a 1.94-fold increased risk for delayed graft function (95% CI, 1.13-3.36; P = .02). The assessment of frailty may provide further insights into the pathophysiology of allograft dysfunction and may improve our ability to preoperatively risk-stratify kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Renal transplant recipients may experience delayed graft function (DGF), but recovery can take many months, a condition we define as hyper-delayed graft function (HDGF)., Methods: A retrospective review of 50 renal transplant recipients who had HDGF and comparison with patients who had immediate graft function (IGF) and DGF., Results: Acute renal tube necrosis (ATN) during or soon after surgery was the most common cause of HDGF. Following standard treatment, 48 HDGF patients transitioned from oliguria to polyuria in 45 days (± 3) and renal function of the kidney fully recovered in 73 days (± 1). These HDGF patients had similar overall survival and kidney survival rates as IGF and DGF patients who were matched for age, sex, primary underlying disease, tissue matching, warm and cold ischemia time, and surgery time., Conclusions: Appropriate care and monitoring of HDGF patients allows them to regain normal renal function and to achieve patient and renal survival rates similar to those of IGF and DGF patients., (Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Aim: To determine place of vitamin D in prevention and treatment of cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) and chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) in the aspect of myocardial and renal reparation., Methods and Material: In Russia and the Netherlands we included in a randomized placebo controlled study 120 vitamin D deficient [25(OH) vitamin D<40 mol/l] recipients of asystolic and cadaveric donors. Patients were divided in 4 groups: paricalcitol (2-4 g/day) group (n=28), calcitriol (1-6 g/day orally) group (n=28), diet (1200-1800 IU/day of vitamin D with multivitamins and from foodstuffs) group (n=26), placebo with diet control group (n=27)., Results: After 180 days degree of CAN according to the Banff classification was 1.24 and 1.22 in paricalcitol and calcitriol groups, respectively, compared with 1.43 and 1.68 in diet and placebo groups, respectively (p<0.05). Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) changed from 46.7 to 84.4, 81.4, 76.8, and 54.5 ml/min/1.73 m3 in paricalcitol, calcitriol, diet and placebo groups, respectively. Fluorescence activated cell scanning (FACS) analysis allowed to detect quantitative induction of SP+ cells amounting 7.4, 2.9 and 1.2%; 7.2, 2.7; and 1.1%; 6.1, 2.9 and 1.2%; 9.3, 1.3 and 0.7% of peripheral blood progenitors, renal epithelial cells, and cardiomyocytes in paricalcitol, calcitriol, diet and placebo groups, respectively. Levels of CD133, CD34, CD73, and CD105 were significantly elevated in patients of paricalcitol (median 161, range 0-834 copies), calcitriol (163, 0-721), and diet (119, 0-401) groups, compared with the placebo group (0,0-41), p<0.01. Level of nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR) protein in renal tissue homogenizate and myocardium achieved 584, 599, 478, and 333 mole VRD/mg and 801, 715, 654, and 389 Φmole VRD/mg of protein in paricalcitol, calcitriol, diet and placebo groups, respectively (p<0.01). Circulating progenitor stem cells demonstrated comparatively high level of VDR expression--529, 526, 401, and 211 mole VRD/mg in CD133, CD34 cells; 432, 414, 303, and 290 mole VRD/mg in CD73, CD105 cells; 549, 558, 442, and 302 φmole VRD/mg in SP+ cells in paricalcitol, calcitriol, diet and placebo groups, respectively (p<0.05). Hypercalcemia was detected in 4(14%) patients in calcitriol group (p<0.001). Under influence of antihypertensive therapy arterial pressure decreased after transplantation from 180/101 to 143/87, 141/94, 147,102, and 165/101 mm Hg in paricalcitol, calcitriol, diet and placebo groups, respectively (p<0.01). NYHA heart failure functional class changed from 2.3 to 1.8, 1.9, 1.9, and 2.5 in paricalcitol, calcitriol, diet and placebo groups, respectively (p<0.01). In 6 months after transplantation average CCS scores were 533 (0-998), 611 (0-1712), 524 (122-1278) and 990 (120-1800) cells in paricalcitol, calcitriol, diet and placebo groups, respectively (p<0.05)., Conclusions: Vitamin D is an effective mean of prevention and treatment of CRS and CAN, stimulator of reparation of renal and myocardial tissues. Optimal for wide clinical practice is the use of active vitamin D analog paricalcitol (2-4 g/day) as well as special diet with multivitamins (up to 1800 IU of cholecalciferol).

Background: The rate of renal transplantation is limited by the number of donor organs available. A valuable source of organs is currently supplied by donation after cardiac death (DCD). At the Richard Bright Renal Unit, we have expanded our criteria for DCD, increasing the upper age limit for donation from 65 to 70., Method: We performed a retrospective analysis of all DCD recipients between 2003 and 2009. We compared outcomes for patients age<60 versus >60 as measured by delayed graft function and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and incidence of graft failure., Results: One hundred thirty-six DCD transplantations took place. Our early data showed excellent results for non-heart-beating donation. Over the last 7 years, the average age of DCD donors has increased from 43 in 2003 to 50 in 2009. The increase in age has been correlated with a decrease in average recipient eGFR from 59 in 2003 to 32 in 2009. Recipients of kidneys from older DCD donors (>60) have significantly lower eGFRs at 1 month and 1 year compared to kidneys from donors aged <60. The incidence of delayed graft function in recipients of kidneys from donors aged>60 was 71% compared to 40% for <60 age group. Despite this, we have not found any evidence of higher graft failure rates in the recipients of grafts from the >60 donor age group., Conclusions: Expanding the age limits of our DCD donor program has led to an increased average donor age, reduced average eGFR, and increased delayed graft function. There is no evidence of reduced graft survival., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: High blood pressure and arterial stiffness contribute independently to cardiovascular mortality in uremic patients. High blood pressure is an established risk factor for chronic allograft nephropathy, recently named interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy (IF/TA). We sought to assess whether heart afterload determinants: arterial stiffness and vascular resistance or impedance accelerate kidney graft failure upon long-term observation., Methods: Using a noninvasive method of blood pressure waveform analysis, (HDI/PulseWave/CR-2000), we studied 160 consecutive kidney transplant recipients, who were at least 3 months after transplantation, for systolic (SBP), diastolic, and mean blood pressure; pulse rate; systemic vascular resistance and impedance as well as large and small artery compliance. The associations of the hemodynamic parameters with relative increases in serum creatinine for every year of graft survival (ΔCreat) were assessed using multiple linear regression analysis. Relationships between systemic hemodynamics and kidney graft loss due to IF/TA were evaluated by Cox regression analysis, including serum creatinine, time after transplantation, delayed graft function, human leukocyte antigen mismatch, panel-reactive antibodies, cold ischemia time, donor age glomerular filtration rate as well as prescribed cardiovascular and immunosuppressive drugs., Results: Over 6.6±0.4 years of follow-up, excluding four noncompliant patients, 11 patients died and 32 lost their kidney grafts, including 25 due to IF/TA. ΔCreat (10.3%±22.0%/y) was independently and positively associated with the initial SBP (β=0.26; P=.001) and serum creatinine values (β=0.16; P=.04). The risk of graft loss due to IF/TA was greater among patients with an increased serum creatinine (relative risk [RR]=59.5 per nlog-unit increase; P<.001) or higher SBP (RR=51.1 per nlog-unit increase; P=.04). Besides SBP, no other hemodynamic parameter was associated with graft failure., Conclusions: The rate of kidney graft function deterioration and risk of transplant loss due to IF/TA are not independently influenced by systemic arterial compliance, resistance, or impedance. SBP appears to be the key circulatory parameter independently affecting the progression of IF/TA, and should be a therapeutic target., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of nitric oxide synthase 1 adaptor protein (NOS1AP) polymorphism with serum creatinine level and occurrence of delayed graft function (DGF) in kidney transplant recipients., Material/methods: This prospective observational study included 75 kidney transplantations. The data from 40 kidney donors (8 females, 32 males) included sex, age, and cause of death. Donors fully met multi-organ transplantation criteria. Recipient data included sex, age, cause of renal insufficiency, and time and number of hemodialyses prior to transplantation. Applying polymerase chain reaction restriction fragments length polymorphism method, we investigated rs10918594 NOS1AP polymorphism among the 75 kidney recipients. The function of every transplanted kidney was correlated with this polymorphism. We defined DGF as requirement for at least 1 hemodialysis after kidney transplantation. We investigated the association of NOS1AP polymorphism with the recipient serum creatinine levels at day 1 and 180 days after kidney transplantation and the occurrence of DGF., Results: The analysis of variance showed higher serum creatinine levels in kidney recipients with GG genotype compared with the CC&#95;CG genotype at day 1 and at day 180 post-transplantation. Occurrence of DGF in the post-operative period in kidney recipients with the variant genotypes CG compared with the GG&#95;CC genotype was higher, although these differences were no statistically significant., Conclusions: Our data suggests no statistically significant association of the rs10918594 polymorphism of nitric oxide synthase 1 adaptor protein (NOS1AP) with the graft function after kidney transplantation.

Background: Apoptosis is a form of cell death observed in kidney grafts as a result of ischemia/reperfusion injury. The aim of our prospective study was to analyze the intensity of apoptosis in kidney tubules after cold storage in respect to early and 12-month post-transplant graft function., Material/methods: The intensity of renal tubular apoptosis was estimated by TUNEL method in proximal and distal tubules in 72 pre-implantation kidney biopsies. Sixteen patients with biopsies that did not fulfill Banff 97 classification, with early acute rejection or early graft loss, were excluded. Early graft function was defined as IGF (N=17) when serum creatinine (sCr) was <264 µmol/l at 3(rd) postoperative day (POD); as SGF (N=20) when sCr >264 µmol/l and not more than 1 dialysis was performed; and as DGF (N=19) when more than 1 dialysis was done., Results: The percentage of apoptotic cells was markedly higher in distal than in proximal tubules in all 3 groups. The percentage of apoptotic cells in distal tubules found was: 3.02% (1.03-5.00%) in IGF, 1.66% (0.92-2.39%) in SGF, and 1.76% (0.84-2.68%) in DGF; these differences were not significant. In the IGF group the mean percentage of apoptotic cells in distal tubule was higher than in the other groups (not statistically significant). The subgroups of patients with higher and lower than median (1.35%) apoptotic cell range in distal tubules had similar graft function at the 12-month follow-up., Conclusions: The enhancement of tubular epithelial cells apoptosis in kidney grafts after cold storage does not determine its early and later excretory function.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the possible effects of machine perfusion (MP) versus cold storage (CS) on delayed graft function (DGF) and early graft survival in expanded criteria donor kidneys (ECD). As part of the previously reported international randomized controlled trial 91 consecutive heart-beating deceased ECDs--defined according to the United Network of Organ Sharing definition--were included in the study. From each donor one kidney was randomized to MP and the contralateral kidney to CS. All recipients were followed for 1 year. The primary endpoint was DGF. Secondary endpoints included primary nonfunction and graft survival. DGF occurred in 27 patients in the CS group (29.7%) and in 20 patients in the MP group (22%). Using the logistic regression model MP significantly reduced the risk of DGF compared with CS (OR 0.460, P=0.047). The incidence of nonfunction in the CS group (12%) was four times higher than in the MP group (3%) (P=0.04). One-year graft survival was significantly higher in machine perfused kidneys compared with cold stored kidneys (92.3% vs. 80.2%, P=0.02). In the present study, MP preservation clearly reduced the risk of DGF and improved 1-year graft survival and function in ECD kidneys. (Current Controlled Trials number: ISRCTN83876362)., (© 2011 The Authors. Transplant International © 2011 European Society for Organ Transplantation.)

Although sequential portal and arterial revascularization (SPAr) is the most common method of graft reperfusion at liver transplantation (OLT), contemporaneous portal and hepatic artery revascularization (CPAr) has been used to reduce arterial ischemia to the bile ducts. The aim of this study was to prospectively compare SPAr (group 1; n=19) versus CPAr (group 2; n=21) among 40 consecutive OLT from heart-beating donors. There were no differences in the demographics characteristics, Model for End-stage Liver Disease scores, indication for OLT and donor parameters between the groups. OLT was performed using the piggyback technique. The biliary anastomosis was performed in all cases by a duct-to-duct technique with a T-tube in 32% versus 29% of cases without a T tube (P=.83). In the CPAr group, the liver was reperfused simultaneously via the portal vein and hepatic artery. CPAr showed a longer warm ischemia (66 ± 8 vs 37 ± 7 minutes; P<.001), while SPAr had a longer arterial ischemia 103 ± 42 vs 66 ± 8 minutes (P=.0004). Recovery of graft function was similar. There was no primary nonfunction and delayed graft function occurred among 10% versus 9%. Liver function tests were similar between the two groups up to 90 days case of follow-up- One-year graft and patient survivals were, respectively, 89% and 95% versus 94% and 100% (P=.29). At a median follow-up of 13 ± 6 versus 14 ± 7 months, biliary complications included anastomotic stenoses in 15% versus 19% (P=.78) and intrahepatic non-anastomotic biliary strictures in 26% versus none (P=.01) for SPAr and CPAr, respectively. CPAr was safe and feasible, reducing the incidence of intrahepatic biliary strictures by decreasing the duration of arterial ischemia to the intrahepatic bile ducts., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Thyroid hormones affect the functioning of a number of organs and may alter kidney function. In contrast, the thyroid gland may be influenced by renal dysfunction. The present study evaluated triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations before and early after transplantation relative to the occurrence of delayed graft function., Patients and Methods: Eighty-seven consecutive patients (52 male and 37 female patients) undergoing kidney transplantation were entered in this cross-sectional study, and T3, thyroxine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations were measured on the day before transplantation and on days 1, 3, and 7 after engraftment., Results: The mean (SD) serum T3 concentration was significantly greater before transplantation in patients with delayed graft function compared with those with normally functioning kidney allografts (129±31.44 ng/dL versus 102±36.77 ng/dL; P-value=.048). Lower T3 concentration values were predictive of delayed graft function. It was hypothesized that early after transplantation, in patients with uremia, a low T3 concentration confers a protective effect against ischemia-reperfusion injury, mitigating a hypercatabolic state., Conclusion: Low serum T3 concentration in patients with uremia before transplantation may have protective effects against the hypercatabolic uremic state and ischemia-reperfusion injury early after engraftment., (Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of osteonecrosis of the hip and knee among renal allograft recipients treated with cyclosporin- or tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive regimens and its predictors focusing on the first 8 weeks after transplantation. The subjects were 232 renal allograft recipients who had MRI for osteonecrosis of the hip and knee 3 months or longer after transplant. The following potential predictors of osteonecrosis were tested using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses: age, gender, body weight, body mass index, duration on dialysis before transplant, number of human leukocyte antigen mismatches, ABO mismatches, type of transplanted kidney, immunosuppressive regimen, cumulative steroid dose and steroid pulses, incidence of acute rejection, and delayed graft function, defined as requiring dialyses in the first week. Evidence of osteonecrosis was visible on the MRI of 11 recipients (4.7%, 95% confidence interval 2.4-8.3). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that delayed graft function was the most important predictor of osteonecrosis. In conclusion, we found a lower incidence of osteonecrosis of the hip and knee in renal allograft recipients treated with cyclosporin or tacrolimus. In the patients treated with improved immunosuppressive regimens, delayed graft function was a significant early predictor of osteonecrosis.

Introduction: Expanding the criteria for deceased organ donors increases the risk of delayed graft function (DGF) and complicates kidney transplant outcome. We studied whether donor neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), a novel biomarker for acute kidney injury, could predict DGF after transplantation., Methods: We included 99 consecutive, deceased donors and their 176 kidney recipients. For NGAL detection, donor serum and urine samples were collected before the donor operation. The samples were analyzed using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (serum) and the ARCHITECT method (urine)., Results: Mean donor serum NGAL (S-NGAL) concentration was 218 ng/mL (range 27 to 658, standard deviation (SD) 145.1) and mean donor urine NGAL (U-NGAL) concentration was 18 ng/mL (range 0 to 177, SD 27.1). Donor S-NGAL and U-NGAL concentrations correlated directly with donor plasma creatinine levels and indirectly with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated using the modification of diet in renal disease equation for glomerular filtration rate. In transplantations with high (greater than the mean) donor U-NGAL concentrations, prolonged DGF lasting longer than 14 days occurred more often than in transplantations with low (less than the mean) U-NGAL concentration (23% vs. 11%, P = 0.028), and 1-year graft survival was worse (90.3% vs. 97.4%, P = 0.048). High U-NGAL concentration was also associated with significantly more histological changes in the donor kidney biopsies than the low U-NGAL concentration. In a multivariate analysis, U-NGAL, expanded criteria donor status and eGFR emerged as independent risk factors for prolonged DGF. U-NGAL concentration failed to predict DGF on the basis of receiver operating characteristic curve analysis., Conclusions: This first report on S-NGAL and U-NGAL levels in deceased donors shows that donor U-NGAL, but not donor S-NGAL, measurements give added value when evaluating the suitability of a potential deceased kidney donor.

Delayed graft function (DGF), especially long-lasting DGF, complicates kidney transplant outcome. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is an acute kidney injury marker; therefore, we tested whether urine NGAL could predict DGF, prolonged DGF (lasting over 14 days), or the quality of kidney function in transplant recipients without DGF (non-DGF). We collected urine samples from 176 recipients transplanted with deceased donor kidneys before and various days after transplantation. A total of 70 transplantations had DGF, of which 26 were prolonged. Patients who developed DGF had a significantly slower decrease in urinary NGAL compared with those without DGF, such that day 1 NGAL predicted DGF (area under the curve (AUC) 0.75) and predicted DGF in 15 of 112 cases with day 1 urine output over 1 l (AUC 0.70) and in 19 of 86 cases with a day 1 decrease in creatinine over 50 μmol/l (AUC 0.74). The urinary NGAL level on day 1 predicted prolonged DGF (AUC 0.75), which had significantly worse 1-year graft survival (73%), compared with shorter DGF (100%). In non-DGF, high day 3 NGAL (greater than the mean) was associated with significantly worse kidney function at 3 weeks compared with low NGAL, but not at 3 months and 1 year. NGAL did not correlate with long-term function in DGF. Hence, day 1 urinary NGAL predicted DGF even when it was not clinically expected early on, and importantly, it predicted prolonged DGF that led to worse graft survival.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of a new ultrasound technique - contrast-enhanced ultrasound examination (US-CE) - using sulphur hexafluoride in the early post-transplant assessment of graft perfusion. Time-intensity curves (TIC) were compared with hemodynamic flow parameters (resistive index: RI) in patients with good early graft function (EGF) and acute rejection (AR) or acute tubular necrosis (ATN) as a cause of delayed graft function (DGF)., Material/methods: US-CE was conducted in order to assess graft perfusion in the early period after kidney transplantation (72-120 hours) in 63 kidney allograft recipients: 35 with EGF and 28 with DGF. The DGF patients were later diagnosed based on graft biopsy as AR (n = 10) or ATN (n = 18). Time-intensity curves were compared with hemodynamic flow parameters typically assessed in post-operative graft diagnostics (e.g., RI)., Results: In the examination with US-CE in EGF patients, the regular inflow of contrast medium was demonstrated in all regions of the graft. In patients with DGF, a delay in the inflow of the contrast medium was observed, as well as significant differences in the time of inflow to the regions of interest between those 2 groups. There was a significantly longer inflow time of the contrast medium to the cortex and renal pyramids in patients with AR than in ATN recipients., Conclusions: US-CE may be a valuable diagnostic tool in the determination of the cause of DGF.

Objectives: Graft loss owing to chronic allograft dysfunction is a major concern in renal transplant recipients. We assessed the affect of immune and nonimmune risk factors on death-censored graft loss in renal transplant recipients with chronic allograft dysfunction., Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective, single-center study on 214 renal transplant recipients with chronic allograft dysfunction among 1534 renal transplant recipients at the Urmia University Hospital from 1997 to 2005. Data registry includes details from all renal transplants. The renal transplant recipient information is regularly updated to determine current graft function, graft loss, or renal transplant recipient's death. The selection criteria were a functional renal allograft for at least 1 year and a progressive decline in allograft function., Results: Increasing donor age (RR=1.066; P < .001), recipient age (RR=1.021, P = .00), recipient weight (RR=1.024; P = .029), and waiting time on dialysis to transplant (RR=1.047; P = .006), pretransplant hypertension (RR=3.126; P < .001), pretransplant diabetes (RR=5.787; P < .001), delayed graft function (RR=6.087; P < .001), proteinuria (RR=2.663; P = .001), posttransplant diabetes (RR=2.285; P = .015), posttransplant hypertension (RR=2.047; P = .017), and AR (RR=3.125; P < .001). Patients in stage 2 at the beginning of chronic allograft dysfunction relative to stage 1 (RR=4.823; P < .001) and patients in stage 3 at the beginning of chronic allograft dysfunction relative to stage 1 (RR=123.06; P < .001) were significant risk factors for death-censored graft loss. Using mycophenolate mofetil versus azathioprine reduced death-censored graft loss (RR=0.499; P = .001)., Conclusion: We found that age of donor, pretransplant hypertension, pretransplant diabetes, type of immunosuppression (mycophenolate mofetil vs azathioprine), delayed graft function, proteinuria, and stage of allograft dysfunction at the start of chronic allograft dysfunction are the major risk factors for late renal allograft dysfunction.

Background: The traditional definition of delayed graft function (DGF) rests on dialysis requirement during the first postoperative week. Subsequently, a more objective and "functional" definition of DGF (fDGF) has been proposed as an alternative to this dialysis-based definition of DGF (dDGF) and defined as a failure of the serum creatinine to decrease by at least 10% daily on 3 successive days during the first week posttransplantation, irrespective of dialysis requirement. However, an association between fDGF and long-term graft failure has not been fully established, and it is unknown whether fDGF is a better marker of subsequent outcomes than dDGF., Methods: We studied 750 adult deceased donor kidney transplant recipients (1996-2006) and analyzed the association between these two DGF definitions and long-term graft outcome., Results: Univariable associations with death-censored graft failure were seen for both dDGF and fDGF (hazard ratio [HR] 1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-2.18; P=0.004 and HR 1.72; 95% CI 1.26-2.36; P=0.001, respectively). On bivariable analysis (dDGF vs. fDGF), dDGF lost significance, whereas the effect of fDGF persisted (HR 1.52; 95%CI 1.03-2.25; P=0.04). This was also the case in a multivariable model, where fDGF but not dDGF was significantly associated with graft failure (HR 1.47; 95%CI 1.06-2.03; P=0.02). Results were similar for overall graft failure., Conclusions: This study confirms the utility of fDGF as an early marker of subsequent inferior allograft outcomes, suggesting superiority over the traditional (often subjective) dialysis-based definition. Wider adoption of the fDGF definition should be considered, both as a risk-stratification tool in clinical practice and a clinical trial endpoint.

Background: Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKT) is one of the treatments for insulin-dependent chronic renal failure patients., Methods: One-year patient and kidney allograft survival rates of 150 patients undergoing SPKT were subjected to Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses. Uni- and multivariate methods identified risk factors involved in allograft and patient survival., Results: One-year patient and kidney allograft survival rates were 82% and 80%, respectively. Delayed graft function (DGF) (P = .001; hazard ratio [HR]5.41) and acute kidney rejection episodes (P = .016; HR 3.36) were related to 1 year patient survival as well as intra-abdominal infection (IAI) rates. (IAI). One-year kidney allograft survival was related to DGF (P = .013; odds ratio [OR] 3.39), acute rejection (P = .001; OR 4.74), and IAI (P = .003, OR 6.29). DGF was related to a time on dialysis >27 months (P = .046; OR 2.59), cold kidney ischemia time >14 hours (P = .027; OR 2.94), donor age >25 years (P = .03; OR 2.82), and donor serum sodium concentration >155 mEq/L (P < .0001; OR 1.09). Female kidney to male recipient in 17% of the cases did not increase the risk of DGF. We observed an important correlation between donor serum sodium and creatinine (P < .0001), which suggested undertreatment of diabetes insipidus secondary to brain death., Conclusions: DGF, acute rejection, and IAI were the main determinants of survival after SPKT. Improving the care of deceased donors may reduce DGF occurrence., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Delayed graft function (DGF) is a common complication in kidney transplantation. We sought to evaluate possible correlates for DGF including intraoperative parameters, focusing on fluid replacement and central venous pressure (CVP) values among patients undergoing kidney transplantation at our center., Methods: One hundred fifty-five cadaveric donor transplantations performed at our center between 2001 and 2005 were selected for the study. We compared intraoperative parameters together with 15 other clinical and socio-demographic recipient and donor variables among patients experiencing DGF (n = 58) versus those with immediate graft function (IGF; n = 97). All significant variables at P < .05 upon univariate analysis were entered into a multivariate logistic regression model to identify risk factors for DGF., Results: CVP at awakening of ≤8 mm Hg (odds ratio [OR] = 3.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.63-7.63), fluid input during surgery ≤2.250 mL (OR = 2.12; 95% CI, 1.00-4.51), and recipient age ≥50 years (OR = 2.72; 95% CI, 1.11-6.68) were the strongest correlates of DGF., Conclusions: Our data suggested that reduced intraoperative perfusion as measured using CVP monitoring might increase DGF risk. This study provides the rationale to further investigate the optimal CVP target during this surgery., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Chronic loss of renal allograft function is associated with interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IF/TA). Independent of the underlying reason, one initial step in the development of fibrosis is chemokine-driven invasion of leukocytes from the blood vessels into the allograft. We studied the role of chemokines in kidney allografts with delayed graft function and the subsequent long-term outcome of renal function and fibrosis., Methods: We examined repetitive biopsies of 30 patients without signs of acute rejection but with initially delayed graft function for IF/TA. In addition, we examined the expression of chemokine receptor (CCR)-1 and CCR2 on invaded leukocytes and macrophages and the corresponding ligands regulated upon activation, normal t-cell expressed, and secreted (RANTES) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 on residential kidney cells., Results: The initial expression of CCR1 positive invading cells and RANTES in glomerular cells correlated with the allograft function 12 months after transplantation and at last follow-up. The expression was independent of donor characteristics such as age, gender, infectious state, cause of death, or use of vasopressive agents. Furthermore, it did not correlate with the duration of cold ischemia time. Among the patients with the most progressive loss of allograft function follow-up biopsy specimen did not reveal any signs of rejection but showed increased CCR1 and RANTES expression in the interstitium suggesting ongoing inflammation and fibrosis., Conclusion: An early expression of RANTES in renal allografts with delayed graft function with consecutive invasion of CCR1 positive cells seems to promote ongoing IF/TA and to worse renal allograft outcome.

The extreme organ shortage in Turkey has led to expansion of living and diseased donors. We retrospectively analyzed patient data to determine the outcomes of elderly donors. Among 210 donors, 28 (13.3%) were atleast ≥55 years old. In this group, 17 were from living and 11 from diseased donors. Mean cold ischemia time was 68 ± 21 minutes. The immunosuppressive protocol consisted of induction therapy (simulect 20 mg on days 0 and 4) and immunosuppression with calcineurin inhibitors, mycophenolic acid, and steroids. Nine patients (32.6%) with delayed graft function (DGF) required transient hemodialysis. None of the recipients or their grafts were lost due to surgical complications. We noted 5 acute rejection episodes which were all reversed by pulse steroids. Mean creatinine levels at 1, 3, and 5 years were 1.7, 2.1 and 2.3 mg/dL respectively. Patient and graft survivals at 1, 3, and 5 years were 100%, 96%, and 92% and 100%, 92%, and 92%, respectively. Although 3.6% of recipients displayed DGF, it did not affect graft outcomes. In conclusion, kidney transplantation from older donors should be considered to be an option for kidney transplantation., (2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Impaired hepatic arterial perfusion after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) may lead to ischemic biliary tract lesions and graft-loss. Hampered hepatic arterial blood flow is observed in patients with hypersplenism, often described as arterial steal syndrome (ASS). However, arterial and portal perfusions are directly linked via the hepatic arterial buffer response (HABR). Recently, the term 'splenic artery syndrome' (SAS) was coined to describe the effect of portal hyperperfusion leading to diminished hepatic arterial blood flow. We retrospectively analyzed 650 transplantations in 585 patients. According to preoperative imaging, 78 patients underwent prophylactic intraoperative ligation of the splenic artery. In case of postoperative SAS, coil-embolization of the splenic artery was performed. After exclusion of 14 2nd and 3rd retransplantations and 83 procedures with arterial interposition grafts, SAS was diagnosed in 28 of 553 transplantations (5.1%). Twenty-six patients were treated with coil-embolization, leading to improved liver function, but requiring postinterventional splenectomy in two patients. Additionally, two patients with SAS underwent splenectomy or retransplantation without preceding embolization. Prophylactic ligation could not prevent SAS entirely (n = 2), but resulted in a significantly lower rate of complications than postoperative coil-embolization. We recommend prophylactic ligation of the splenic artery for patients at risk of developing SAS. Post-transplant coil-embolization of the splenic artery corrected hemodynamic changes of SAS, but was associated with a significant morbidity.

The donor was 63-yr-old woman with subarachnoid hemorrhage. As she developed severe hypotension for more than four h before cardiac arrest, we biopsied the grafts and decided to transplant those kidneys. Recipient 1 was a 23-yr-old man on 13-yr dialysis program. After 19 d of delayed graft function (DGF), we discontinued hemodialysis (HD). However, the decrease in serum creatinine (sCr) was poor. The minimum sCr was 4.3 mg/dL on post-operative day (POD) 40, and increased to 6.5 mg/dL. The contralateral graft was transplanted to a 61-yr-old man (recipient 2) with 18-yr HD. After 15 d of DGF period, sCr decreased gradually and has been stable at 1.9 mg/dL. In recipient 1, graft biopsies performed on POD 15, 69, and 110, revealed progressive interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IF/TA) without evidences of acute rejection, tacrolimus associated injury, reflux nephropathy, or viral nephropathy. The second biopsy on POD 69 showed typical findings of acute tubular necrosis. We compared the clinical courses of the two recipients because certain features of recipient 1, such as age, duration of HD, total ischemic time, and body size were advantageous, whereas graft function was poorer than that in recipient 2. Recipient 1 developed severe anemia following the dissociation of graft function from recipient 2. In this case, posttransplant anemia and lower blood pressure might promote IF/TA through persistent ischemic tubular damage, and positive CMV antigenemia and its treatment could promote anemia. Especially in the kidney allograft from a marginal donor, we should consider various factors to obtain a better graft outcome.

Donors after cardiac death (DCD) could increase the organ pool. Data supports good long-term renal graft survival. However, DCDs are <10% of deceased donors in the United States, due to delayed graft function, and primary nonfunction. These complications are minimized by extracorporeal support after cardiac death (ECS-DCD). This study assesses immediate and acute renal function from different donor types. DCDs kidneys were recovered by conventional rapid recovery or by ECS, and transplanted into nephrectomized healthy swine. Warm ischemia of 10 and 30 min were evaluated. Swine living donors were controls (LVD). ECS-DCDs were treated with 90 min of perfusion until organ recovery. After procurement, kidneys were cold storage 4-6 h. Renal vascular resistance (RVR), urine output (UO), urine protein concentration (UrPr) and creatinine clearance (CrCl), were collected during 4 h posttransplantation. All grafts functioned with adequate renal blood flow for 4 h. RVR at 4 h posttransplant returned to baseline only in the LVD group (0.36 mmHg/mL/min +/- 0.03). RVR was higher in all DCDs (0.66 mmHg/mL/min +/- 0.13), without differences between them. UO was >50 mL/h in all DCDs, except in DCD-30 (6.8 mL/h +/- 1.7). DCD-30 had lower CrCl (0.9 mL/min +/- 0.2) and higher UrPr >200 mg/dL, compared to other DCDs >10 mL/min and <160 mg/dL, respectively. Normothermic ECS can resuscitate kidneys to transplantable status after 30 min of cardiac arrest/WI.

Background: In kidney transplantations, the identification of early postoperative parameters with high predictive power for the development of late allograft dysfunction has important implications for clinical practice. This study sought to determine these parameters in a single-center cohort., Methods: We studied 82 deceased donor renal transplantation. We assessed the following measures: dialysis-dependent delayed graft function (ddDGF), extended DGF, serum creatinine level at day 7, creatinine reduction ratio at day 7, urine output at day 1 and at day 7 posttransplantation (UO7)., Results: Only UO7 showed a significant result upon multivariate analysis (P < .0001). It was less influenced by dialysis with respect to measures based upon serum creatinine. By Receiver Operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, it showed an elevated area under the curve (0.811), with a cut-off value of 500 mL/24 h, showing high sensitivity (98.5%)., Conclusions: UO7 may be of clinical utility to assess the risk for subsequent renal dysfunction., (Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

To determine the incidence and determinants of delayed graft function due to post-transplant acute tubular necrosis in live related donor renal transplantation. This is a retrospective study of 337 recipients of live related donor renal graft performed between 1986 and 2006. Of these recipients, 24 (7.1%) subjects developed delayed graft function with no evidence of acute rejection, cyclosporin toxicity, vascular catastrophe or obstructive cause and had evidence of acute tubular necrosis (ATN Group). These subjects were compared with recipients (n= 313, 92.9%) who had no clinical or biochemical evidence of ATN. Mean age, and gender distribution of recipients was similar in the two groups (ATN group 35.7 +/- 8.3, non-ATN group 34.3 +/- 7.5, P= 0.43). Gender distribution of the recipients (men 279, 89.1% vs. 21, 87.5%, P= 0.80) as well as donors (women 221, 70.6% vs. 18, 75.0%, P= 0.75) was also similar. In ATN group as compared with non-ATN group the donor age was significantly greater (56.6 +/- 8.3 vs. 46.6 +/- 11.2 years, P< 0.0001). There was marginal difference in pre-operative systolic BP (154.5 +/- 18.3 vs. 147.4 +/- 20.2 mm Hg, P= 0.077) and significant difference in diastolic BP (87.8 +/- 9.5 vs. 83.4 +/- 11.4 mmHg, P= 0.041). Incidence of multiple renal arteries was similar (16.7% vs. 7.3%, P= 0.22). The warm ischemia time was significantly greater in ATN group (33.3 +/- 6.2 min) as compared to non-ATN group (30.4 +/- 5.7 min, P= 0.042). Duration of hospital stay was more in ATN group (19.9 +/- 6.7 vs. 16.8 +/- 8.4 days, P= 0.04) but there was no difference in 1 year survival (284 subjects, 90.7% vs. 21 subjects, 87.5%, P= 0.873). This study shows that greater donor age, higher baseline diastolic BP and greater warm ischemia time are major determinants of delayed graft function due to acute tubular necrosis after related donor renal transplantation.

Introduction: Delayed graft function (DGF) has a major impact on long-term renal transplant survival. However, it is a diagnosis made retrospectively with little opportunity to modify treatment protocols. A classification based on creatinine reduction ratio between days 1 and 2 (CRR2) suggests that patients with CRR2 less than or equal to 30% (nondialysis requiring DGF [ND-DGF]) have similar outcomes to those with dialysis-requiring delayed graft function (D-DGF). We retrospectively applied this definition in our cohort of patients to examine outcomes., Methods: We studied the association between CRR2 and graft outcomes in all 367 patients transplanted between 1996 and 2004 at our center. Patients were divided into the following three groups: IGF (immediate graft function; CRR2 >30%), D-DGF, and ND-DGF. Mean follow-up was 4.2 years., Results: IGF accounted for 36% of patients, D-DGF for 22%, and ND-DGF for 42%. CRR2 was inversely correlated with serum creatinine on days 7, 30, 90, and 365 (r ranging from -0.65 to -0.22, P<0.001). Graft survival at 5 years was 98% (IGF), 74% (D-DGF), and 89% (ND-DGF). There was a significant difference in graft survival between IGF and D-DGF (P<0.001) and IGF and ND-DGF (P=0.005). In a multivariate analysis adjusting for recipient age and sex, donor age and sex, and human leukocyte antigen mismatch, graft failure was 2.4 times more likely to occur in patients with D-DGF than those with ND-DGF(P=0.02)., Conclusions: Our study shows CRR2 influences long-term graft outcomes. Unlike the original description, patients with ND-DGF carry an intermediate risk and perhaps should be considered on day 2 for alternative treatment protocols.

Current methods for predicting graft recovery after kidney transplantation are not reliable. We performed a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study of deceased-donor kidney transplant patients to evaluate urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), IL-18, and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) as biomarkers for predicting dialysis within 1 wk of transplant and subsequent graft recovery. We collected serial urine samples for 3 d after transplant and analyzed levels of these putative biomarkers. We classified graft recovery as delayed graft function (DGF), slow graft function (SGF), or immediate graft function (IGF). Of the 91 patients in the cohort, 34 had DGF, 33 had SGF, and 24 had IGF. Median NGAL and IL-18 levels, but not KIM-1 levels, were statistically different among these three groups at all time points. ROC curve analysis suggested that the abilities of NGAL or IL-18 to predict dialysis within 1 wk were moderately accurate when measured on the first postoperative day, whereas the fall in serum creatinine (Scr) was not predictive. In multivariate analysis, elevated levels of NGAL or IL-18 predicted the need for dialysis after adjusting for recipient and donor age, cold ischemia time, urine output, and Scr. NGAL and IL-18 quantiles also predicted graft recovery up to 3 mo later. In summary, urinary NGAL and IL-18 are early, noninvasive, accurate predictors of both the need for dialysis within the first week of kidney transplantation and 3-mo recovery of graft function.

Introduction: We compared insulin resistance (IR) and insulin secretion (IS) among kidney transplant recipients with normal versus delayed graft function (DGF) early after transplantation., Methods: We selected 55 kidney transplant recipients without a history of clinical diabetes mellitus. The basal values of glucose (G) and insulin (I) were used to calculate indices of IR and IS before, on the third day, as well as at the end of the first, second, and third weeks after transplantation., Results: Before transplantation IR was more prevalent (62.5%) than impaired IS (20%; P = .012). Three weeks after engraftment, IR was significantly reduced (P < .001), whereas the reduction in the IS was not significant (P = .17). Splitting the results between normal and delayed functioning grafts showed a significant difference in both IR and IS between the 2 groups on the third day after transplantation (P = .018 and .024, respectively). Regression models showed that only cumulative administered cyclosporine dose and plasma creatinine were significantly (or near significantly) associated with IR (P = .04 and .07, respectively)., Conclusion: Among patients with DGF there was a significantly greater prevalence of IR and IS compared with successfully engrafted patients in the middle of the first week after transplantation. With resumption of normal kidney function among the DGF group, this difference disappeared at the end of the third week after transplantation.

Objective: Renal allografts with excellent graft function show good long-term outcomes, while grafts with delayed function have been associated with poor long-term survivals, although few reports have analyzed outcomes among these groups. We compared first-week postoperative graft function among renal transplant patients to analyze the impact of slow graft function (SGF) and delayed graft function (DGF) on graft survival., Materials and Methods: Renal transplantations were performed from 362 unrelated, 46 related, and 163 deceased donors. Kidney transplant patients were divided into 3 groups according to their initial graft function. First-week dialyzed patients formed the DGF group. Nondialyzed patients were divided into a SGF or an excellent graft function (EGF) cohort according to whether the serum creatinine at day 7 was higher vs lower than 2.5 mg/dL, respectively., Results: Of the 570 renal transplant recipients, DGF was observed in 39 patients (6.8%), SGF in 64 (11.2%), and EGF in 467 (81.8%). There was no significant difference in SGF vs DGF between patients who received kidneys from unrelated vs related living or deceased donors. Graft survival was worse among the DGF than the SGF or EGF patients, with no significant difference between the last 2 groups. The 6-month graft survivals were 74%, 93%, and 96%; the 3-year graft survivals were 70%, 88%, and 90%, respectively (P < .001)., Conclusions: We observed a similar impact of EGF and SGF on kidney graft survival. Kidney transplant recipients who developed DGF showed worse graft survival than those with EGF or SGF.

Delayed graft function (DGF) in a deceased-donor renal recipient is associated with allograft dysfunction 1-year posttransplant. There is limited research about the influence to allograft function on the mate of a DGF recipient over time. Using a retrospective cohort design, we studied 55 recipients from a single center. The primary outcome was the change in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) 1-year posttransplant. The secondary outcome was the GFR at baseline. We found that mates to DGF recipients had a mean change in GFR 1-year posttransplant of -11.2 mL/min, while the control group had a mean change of -0.4 mL/min. The difference in the primary outcome was significant (p = 0.025) in a multivariate analysis, adjusting for cold ischemic time, panel reactive antibody level, allograft loss, human leukocyte antibody (HLA)-B mismatches and HLA-DR mismatches. No significant difference between groups was found in baseline GFR. In conclusion, mates to DGF recipients had a significantly larger decline in allograft function 1-year posttransplant compared to controls with similar renal function at baseline. We believe strategies that may preserve allograft function in these'at-risk'recipients should be developed and tested.

Delayed graft function (DGF) is defined as the need for dialysis within the first week after renal transplantation, and slow graft function as persistence of serum creatinine concentration of at least 3 mg/dL on day 5 after the procedure. In the present study, we analyzed the incidence and risk factors for DGF at our center. This retrospective study included 106 patients who underwent renal transplantation between January 2000 and June 2008. Of these, 11 patients were excluded. Two of the remaining 95 patients received organs from living donors, and 93 received cadaver organs. Variables analyzed included donor age, cause of death, cause of chronic renal failure, recipient age, method and time of long-term renal replacement therapy, residual diuresis, panel of reactive antibodies (PRA), HLA mismatch, sex compatibility, cold and warm ischemia times, biopsy-confirmed episodes of acute rejection, urine output in the operating room and in the first 24 hours after the procedure, and intraoperative induction therapy. Data were analyzed using the chi(2) and Fisher exact tests and analysis of variance, and are given as mean (SD) and frequency. Variables associated with DGF at univariate analysis (P < .05) were divided between risk factors and predictors of DGF for inclusion in logistic regression models. The incidence of DGF was 32.6%; slow graft function, 16.8%; and immediate graft function, 50.5%. Cold ischemia time longer than 20 hours (P = .02) and donor age (P = .008) were directly associated with DGF. Twenty-four-hour urine output was a strong predictor of DGF. Patients with DGF demonstrated a 25% incidence of an episode of acute rejection before discharge from the hospital. No difference in DGF was observed for use of intraoperative induction therapy.

Acute phosphate nephropathy following a large phosphate load is a potentially irreversible cause of kidney failure. Here, we report on the unfavorable graft outcome in two recipients of deceased donor kidneys from a donor who had evolving acute phosphate nephropathy at the time of organ procurement. The donor, a 30-year-old with cerebral infarction, developed hypophosphatemia associated with diabetic ketoacidosis and was treated with intravenous phosphate resulting in a rise in serum phosphorus from 0.9 to 6.1 mg/dL. Renal biopsies performed on both recipients for suboptimal kidney function revealed acute tubular injury and diffuse calcium phosphate microcrystal deposits in the tubules, which were persistent in subsequent biopsies. A retrospective review of preimplantation biopsies performed on both kidneys revealed similar findings. Even though initial renal histology in both recipients was negative for BK virus, they eventually developed BK viremia with nephropathy but both had a substantive virologic response with therapy. The first patient returned to dialysis at 6 months, while the other has an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 12 mL/min, 17 months following his transplant. We conclude that unrecognized acute phosphate nephropathy in a deceased donor contributed substantially to poor graft outcome in the two recipients.

With the current shortage of solid organs for transplant, the transplant community continues to look for ways to increase the number of organ donors, including extending the criteria for donation. In rhabdomyolysis, the byproducts of skeletal muscle breakdown leak into the circulation resulting in acute renal failure in up to 30% of patients. In nonbrain dead patients, this condition is reversible and most patients recover full renal function. Seven potential donors had rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure as evidenced by the presence of urine hemoglobin, plasma creatinine kinase levels of greater than five times the normal and elevated creatinine. One donor required dialysis. At our institution, 10 kidneys were transplanted from the seven donors. Two grafts had immediate function, five grafts experienced slow graft function and three grafts had delayed graft function requiring hemodialysis. At a mean of 8.7 months posttransplant (2.4-25.2 months), all patients have good graft function, are off dialysis and have a mean creatinine of 1.3 (0.7-1.8). In conclusion, our experience suggests that rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure should not be a contraindication for donation, although recipients may experience slow or delayed graft function.

We undertook this study to assess the rate of poor early graft function (EGF) after laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy (lapNx) and to determine whether poor EGF is associated with diminished long-term graft survival. The study population consisted of 946 consecutive lapNx donors/recipient pairs at our center. Poor EGF was defined as receiving hemodialysis on postoperative day (POD) 1 through POD 7 (delayed graft function [DGF]) or serum creatinine >/= 3.0 mg/dL at POD 5 without need for hemodialysis (slow graft function [SGF]). The incidence of poor EGF was 16.3% (DGF 5.8%, SGF 10.5%), and it was stable in chronologic tertiles. Poor EGF was independently associated with worse death-censored graft survival (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 2.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34-3.47, p = 0.001), worse overall graft survival (HR 1.62, 95% CI 1.10-2.37, p = 0.014), worse acute rejection-free survival (HR 2.75, 95% CI 1.92-3.94, p < 0.001) and worse 1-year renal function (p = 0.002). Even SGF independently predicted worse renal allograft survival (HR 2.54, 95% CI 1.44-4.44, p = 0.001). Risk factors for poor DGF included advanced donor age, high recipient BMI, sirolimus use and prolonged warm ischemia time. In conclusion, poor EGF following lapNx has a deleterious effect on long-term graft function and survival.

Objectives: Simultaneous pancreatic-renal transplant is an effective treatment for insulin-dependent patients with chronic renal failure. We sought to identify the main influences on pancreatic and patient survival rates after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplants., Patients and Methods: The 1-year patient and pancreas survival rates of 150 patients who had undergone simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant were analyzed by the Cox proportional hazards regression model and the Kaplan-Meier method. Uni and multivariate analyses were performed in terms of transplant-, recipient-, and donor-related risk factors., Results: At 1 year, patient and pancreatic allograft survival rates were 82% and 76.7%, respectively. Delayed graft function in the kidney (P = .001, HR 5.41), acute kidney rejection (P = .016, HR 3.36), and intra-abdominal infection (P < .0001, HR 4.15) were the main factors related to 1-year patient survival. Pancreatic allograft survival at 1 year was related to intra-abdominal infection (P < .0001, OR 12.83), vascular thrombosis (P = .002, OR 40.55), acute kidney rejection (P = .027, OR 3.06), donor sodium greater than 155 mEq/L (P = .02, OR 3.27), and dopamine administration exceeding 7.6 microg/kg/min (P = .046, OR 2.85)., Conclusions: Delayed kidney allograft function and intra-abdominal infection had an important effect on both patient and pancreatic allograft survival rates.

Background: Small-for-size (SFS) syndrome is an important clinical problem after living donor liver transplantation, split liver transplantation or extended hepatectomy. The uncertainty of the mechanisms and treatments of SFS syndrome urges surgeons to establish effective models for SFS syndrome., Methods: A new porcine model for SFS syndrome based on extended hepatectomy was established. Portal pressure gradient was observed before and after the surgery, and venous sampling for estimation of alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and international normalized ratio was continued on a daily basis., Results: Although the external morphology of the porcine liver differs from that of human being, segmental anatomy is remarkably similar in term of its vascularity and biliary tree. Extended hepatectomy with segments I and VII as resection remnant (about 20% of total liver volume) resulted in similar survival rates, blood liver function tests, and elevated portal pressure gradient as clinical SFS syndrome., Conclusions: The extended hepatectomy based new model can easily be reproduced, with few costs and surgical complications. Clinical SFS syndrome can easily be simulated by this new model, which is a useful tool for studying SFS syndrome-related liver injuries, especially portal overperfusion and hypertension.

Use of pulsatile perfusion to optimize outcomes in deceased donor kidney transplantation remains controversial. This study is a retrospective analysis of all cadaveric renal allografts procured locally by our center over a 3-year period. Kidney pairs were identified in which one kidney underwent pulsatile perfusion and transplantation at our center, whereas the contra-lateral kidney underwent cold storage and transplantation at another center. Eighty-eight percent of the exported kidneys were six-antigen matches. Study outcomes included 1-year graft and patient survival, delayed graft function, and need for posttransplant dialysis. Recipients had similar demographic and disease characteristics. Survival for pulsatile perfusion and cold storage were 95% and 88% (graft, P=0.43) and 98% and 90% (patient, P=0.36), respectively. The incidence of delayed graft function was 5% and 35% (P<0.01), whereas posttransplant dialysis was 5% and 30% (P<0.01), for pulsatile perfusion and cold storage, respectively. These data support routine use of pulsatile perfusion.