Effect of blood transfusions on first cadaveric graft and uremic patient survival.

The 404 cadaveric first transplant candidates registered in Norway at the end of 1977, have been analyzed for blood transfusions; 346 of these patients have been transplanted, 45 died prior to transplantation, while 4 patients have not yet received a transplant and 9 were excluded from the analysis. Slightly less than half of the transplanted patients had been transfused, and these demonstrated significantly better graft survival, most pronounced in those receiving 5 or more transfusions. The majority of the patients dying while waiting for a transplant had been transfused, and in these also a significantly higher frequency of cytotoxic HLA antibodies was observed. All 4 still waiting patients are transfused and have multispecific antibodies. The increase in graft survival after blood transfusions was most pronounced in 1-2 HLA incompatible transplants, less in 3 and 4 antigen incompatible transplants, and no increase was seen in compatible transplants. When analyzing for rejection episodes, however, significant decrease was seen in all transfused groups compared to non-transfused.