Race as a risk factor in cadaver kidney transplantation.

Recipients of 93 first-cadaver kidney transplants were studied for the effect of recipient and donor race on graft and patient survival. Both graft and patient survival were lower for black recipients than for whites. The difference was not explained by racial mismatch between donor and recipient. Black recipients had more rejection episodes and more instances of bacterial pneumonia. Pretransplant splenectomy reduced the likelihood of rejection episodes for black recipients and increased their rate of graft survival.