J. Sasal et al., Late renal transplant failure: An adverse prognostic factor at initiation of peritoneal dialysis, PERIT DIA I, 21(4), 2001, pp. 405-410
Background., Early renal transplant failure necessitating a return to dialy
sis has been shown to be a poor prognostic factor for survival. Little is k
nown about the outcome of patients with late transplant failure returning t
o dialysis. It was our clinical impression that late transplant failure (>2
months) carries an increased morbidity and mortality risk in patients retu
rning to dialysis.
Objective: To determine whether patients with a failed renal transplant hav
e an outcome different to those on dialysis who have never received a kidne
y transplant.
Setting: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) unit in a teaching hospital.
Patients and Design: All failed renal transplant patients (fTx) in the Toro
nto Hospital Peritoneal Dialysis program between 1989 and 1996 were identif
ied. This cohort of 42 fTx patients was compared with a cohort of randomly
selected never-transplanted PD patients (non-Tx). The PD program was select
ed because of the availability of well-documented patient archival material
. The non-Tx group was matched for age and presence of diabetes. Data were
collected until retransplantation, change of dialysis modality or center, d
eath, or until June 1998.
Results:There was no difference at initiation of PD between groups in serum
albumin, residual renal function, or mean serum parathyroid hormone level.
The mean low-density lipoprotein level was significantly higher in the fTx
cohort. The duration of dialysis before Tx in fTx patients accounted for t
he increased total length of dialysis in fTx (mean 15 months). However, pos
t-Tx the duration of PD was similar for both groups (30.7 months for fTx vs
31.6 months for non-Tx). The fTx group had a considerably worse outcome th
an the non-Tx group. The time to first peritonitis, subsequent episodes of
peritonitis, catheter change, or transfer to hemodialysis occurred at a muc
h faster rate in fTx patients. The most dramatic difference was in survival
. There were 3 deaths in the non-Tx group and 12 in the fTx group (p < 0.01
). The mean age at time of death in the fTx group was 47.5 years. Deaths we
re due mainly to gram-negative peritonitis and cardiovascular disease.
Conclusions: We conclude that late failed renal transplant patients startin
g dialysis are at increased risk of complications and have strikingly highe
r mortality rates than non-Tx patients. A previously failed kidney transpla
nt can be considered an adverse prognostic factor for patients commencing P
D; these patients need to be closely monitored. Although this study was lim
ited to PD patients, the same principles likely apply to fTx patients retur
ning to any form of renal replacement therapy.