Outcome of kidney transplantation from elderly living donors

Abstract

【Objectives】Recently, older donors have been increasing in kidney transplantation because of the shortage of donors in Japan. On the other hand, survival of kidney graft from older donors is inferior to that of graft from younger donors. We evaluated the relationship between donor age and graft function after living-donor kidney transplantation.【Methods】In a retrospective cohort study, we analyzed 48 living donors and their recipients who underwent kidney transplantation between November 2011 and May 2016. We compared graft survival and laboratory data between control group (donor age younger than 70 years) and old donor group (donor age older than 71). Additionally, we determined donor kidney volume based on 3DCT.【Results】There was no difference in recipient age and in total ischemic times between control group and old donor group. Survival of kidney graft was lower in old donor group than in control group (p＜0.05). Donor kidney volume was smaller among old donor group than control group (152±27mL vs 129±26mL, p＜0.05). Pre-transplant kidney volume/recipient body surface area (Vol/BSA) ratio was significantly correlated with serum creatinine level at 3 months post-transplantation (r＝0.52, p＜0.01).【Conclusions】Donor age and pre-transplant kidney volume seem to be important predictors of kidney transplantation outcome.