Kidney transplant recipients with a failing graft are at greater risk for hospitalizations and early death than similar, non-transplanted patients, according to new study findings presented at the American Transplant Congress in Boston.
In a study of 573 kidney transplant recipients with a failing graft (median age 57; 40% female) matched to non-transplant patients by degree of kidney dysfunction, recipients with a failing graft had a significant 34% higher risk for death. Patients with failing grafts also were 67% more likely to be hospitalized for any reason, and especially for genitourinary, cardiovascular, and infectious causes.
“A failing kidney transplant is associated with an increased burden of mortality and morbidity related to chronic kidney disease,” Ngan N. Lam, MD, MSc, of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, and colleagues stated. “This information may assist the discussion of prognosis in kidney transplant recipients with a failing graft and the design of strategies to minimize risks.”
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Reference
Lam NN, Boyne DJ, Quinn RR, Austin PC, Hemmelgarn BR, Campbell P, Knoll GA, Tibbles L, Yilmaz S, Quan H, Ravani P. Mortality and Morbidity in Kidney Transplant Recipients with a Failing Graft. Am J Transplant. 2019;19 (suppl 3). Presented at the 2019 American Transplant Congress in Boston, June 1-5. Abstract 7.
