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The number of overweight and obese patients undergoing renal transplantation has drastically increased in the last two decades. Studies on graft survival and complication rates of these obese patients have had conflicting results, with some reporting a significant risk and others reporting relatively good outcomes. We examined 1-year outcomes in obese and nonobese patients who underwent living donor transplants at our transplant program, a slightly different approach than prior studies of deceased donor transplants into patients with high body mass index (BMI). The mean serum creatinine clearance by the modified MDRD equation at the end of 1 year in the nonobese group was 58.9 mL/min whereas the mean creatinine clearance in the obese group was 48.9 mL/min (P = .09). The length of stay, incidence of delayed graft function, and 1-year graft survival did not differ between the obese and nonobese groups. The results of this single-center experience with living donor transplant into obese subjects suggest no differences in outcomes with regard to surgical or wound complications, delayed graft function, or serum creatinine at 1 year.

Clinical outcomes in obese kidney transplant recipients have been inconclusive. Most of these studies have been done in deceased donor transplants. We compared the outcomes of living donor kidney transplants in obese and nonobese transplant recipients. Data from 54 living donor transplants between January 1999 and November 2002 were analyzed. One patient was excluded due to a high panel reactive antibody (PRA). Of the remaining 53 patients, 37 (70%) had a BMI of less than 30 (nonobese) and 16 (30%) had a BMI equal to or greater than 30 (obese). Clinical outcomes with respect to various parameters (as shown in the table) were compared. No statistical difference in outcomes was noted between the outcomes in the two groups of patients. We found comparable outcomes in obese and nonobese recipients of living donor kidney transplants. The policy to withhold transplantation in obese recipients needs careful scrutiny, especially if the transplant can be performed with a living donor. TABLE—ABSTRACT P34 . BMI BMI ≥ 30 (n = 16) P value Age (yrs) 43 ± 16 50 ± 16 0.11 Sex (M/F) 22/15 12/4 Race (AA/non AA) 4/33 0/16 Creat at 1 yr (mg/dl) 1.44 ± 0.41 1.63 ± 0.45 0.14 Length of Stay (days) 6.4 ± 5 8.4 ± 7 0.68 Delayed graft function 2.7% 19% 0.077 1 yr graft survival 97% 94% 0.51 Acute rejection 8% 19% 0.35 Wound complications 13.5% 19% 0.68 Other complications 11% 25% 0.22 Patient survival 100% 100%