INFLUENCE OF LENGTH OF TIME ON DIALYSIS BEFORE GRAFTING ON KIDNEY-TRANSPLANT RESULTS

The outcome of kidney transplantation was evaluated in 246 nondiabetic , CsA-treated recipients of primary cadaver transplant, divided into 4 groups according to length of time on dialysis: group less than or eq ual to 2, 0-24 months; group 2-5, 25-60 months; group 5-15, 61-180 mon ths; group >15, over 180 months. The 4 groups did not differ in graft survival, proteinuria (g/die), or estimated GFR values at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years after grafting. They did not differ in the frequency of ca taract, hip osteonecrosis, rumors, or posttransplant diabetes mellitus at 3 years after grafting. Ocular hypertone (p < 0.02), tendon ruptur es (p < 0.001), arterial occlusive disease of lower limbs (p < 0.01), cholelythiasis (p < 0.05), and chronic hepatitis-which occurred only i n anti-HCV and/or HBs Ag-positive patients-(p < 0.001), were more freq uent in group >15, and in all these cases but ocular hypertone a linea r trend of increasing frequencies with increasing dialytic age was sta tistically significant. Group 5-15 had the lowest patient survival (p < 0.02). Moreover a progressive decline of patient survival with incre asing dialytic age was noted in groups less than or equal to 2, 2-5, a nd 5-15. Unexpectedly, group >15 had remarkably good survival, and thi s finding denies the hypothesis of a purely linear decline of patient survival after transplantation with increasing dialytic age.