Mitochondrial Complex Activity in Donor Renal Grafts, Cold Ischemia Time, and Recovery of Graft Function

Indexed mitochondrial complex activities (MCA;) were determined in biopsies obtained from 52 donor kidneys at the end of cold ischemia (8-32 hr) to see if longer anoxia affected MCA i and accounted for the increased risk of delayed graft function (DGF) in recipients of grafts with longer cold ischemia time (CIT) or from non-heart-beating donors (NHBD). CITs were significantly different between those with and without DGF (P=0.02), being shorter in the latter, but MCA i were similar. CIT was correlated (r=0.43, P=0.003) with the time taken for creatinine concentration to fall to half the perioperative value (Cr t ½) but not with MCA i . Frequency of DGF, greater in NHBD, was significantly different from that of heart-beating donors (P= 0.04), but CIT and MCA i were similar. However, Cr t ½, was significantly different being longer in NHBD. Thus, the frequency of DGF increased and the speed of recovery diminished with longer CIT, whereas MCA, remained stable suggesting other factors determined tissue recovery.