RENAL-TRANSPLANTATION FROM LIVING DONOR PARENTS IN 2 BROTHERS WITH ALPORT SYNDROME - CAN ASYMPTOMATIC FEMALE CARRIERS OF THE ALPORT GENE BEACCEPTED AS KIDNEY DONORS

Renal transplantation from living donor parents was performed in two b rothers with end-stage renal failure due to Alport syndrome (AS). Two years later, the patient receiving the kidney graft from the mother, o bligate carrier of AS, presented persistent microhematuria and protein uria with normal renal function. The histological study demonstrated u ltrastructural glomerular lesions consistent with AS. The authors conc lude that: (1) Alport patients should not be deprived of renal transpl antation from living donors, since anti-GEM nephritis is a rare compli cation; (2) an oligosymptomatic female carrier of the Alport gene may be considered as living renal donor, although a longer followup is nee ded in order to draw definitive conclusions.