EFFECT OF DONOR AND RECIPIENT AGE ON THE RESULTS OF RENAL-TRANSPLANTATION

In a retrospective study of 814 patients (349 women, 465 men) who had received their first kidney transplant, early function rate as well as transplant and patient survival rates were determined in relation to age (up to 50 years: 530; 51-55 years: 140; 56-60 years: 83; over 60 y ears: 61). The same rates were also grouped by donor age (> 16 years, 68 patients; 16-40 years, 387; 41-50 years, 165; 51-60 years, 144; ove r 60 years, 50). The 5-year transplant function rate fell significantl y with increasing donor age (P = 0.0001) from 78% (16-40 years) to 47% over 60 years). For the same age groups the proportion of transplants which never resumed their function rose from 8 to 28%. Age of recipie nt had no influence on early function and 5-year transplant function r ates. Thus, regardless of the recipient's age, higher donor age is an independent risk factor for early and late results after transplantati on.