RENAL-TRANSPLANTATION IN OLDER-PEOPLE

Renal transplantation in people 60 years old or more is controversial due to the morbidity associated with immunosuppression and the scarcit y of renal allografts. We have reviewed the outcome of 1222 consecutiv e renal transplants done at a single institution with a uniform immuno suppressive protocol over 10 years. 5-year graft survival was the same in the under sixties as in the sixties and over. Patient survival was worse (p=0.0001), but there were immunological graft losses: 11% vs 3 1% (p=0.0009;relative risk [RR]=0.36 [95% confidence interval 0.19-0.6 6]). A majority of the deaths in both groups were secondary to cardiov ascular disease, not due to complications of immunosuppression. We con clude that renal transplantation in people 60 and over has results equ ivalent to a younger population. Age 60 and over should not be a major factor in considering if a patient is eligible for renal transplantat ion.