Excellent outcomes after transplantation of deceased donor kidneys with high terminal creatinine and mild pathologic lesions.

BACKGROUND

Outcomes after kidney transplantation using deceased donors with high terminal creatinine are not well described but potentially represent an underutilized source of renal allografts. Utility of renal biopsy of these kidneys is similarly not well established.

METHODS

To better understand the posttransplant function of kidneys from donors with high terminal creatinine, we reviewed our database of almost 500 cadaveric kidney transplants. We compared the 65 nonexpanded criteria donors with a final donor creatinine > or = 2.0 mg/dl (range 2.0-4.9 mg/dl) with kidneys procured from donors with terminal creatinine of <1.5. Biopsy results were correlated with graft function.

RESULTS

Kidneys from deceased donors with high terminal creatinine performed as well as kidneys from donors with a normal terminal creatinine with respect to primary non-function, acute rejection, 6-year graft and patient survival, and function over the first 48 months. High creatinine kidneys with moderate or severe lesions on biopsy demonstrated poorer function at 6 months and 1 year as compared to those with mild or no histological lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

Under select conditions, kidneys from donors with high terminal creatinine can be used safely with excellent results.