DONOR AGE MODIFIES GRAFT-SURVIVAL IN RENAL-TRANSPLANTATION

Aging is associated with progressive glomerular sclerosis, thus the age of the kidney donor may influence graft survival. The aim of this study was to evaluate the graft survival in relation to the age of the donor. We evaluated 186 consecutive first cadaveric transplants. Patients were separated into two groups according to the age of the donor, 151 patients were recipient of a graft from a donor younger than 45 years old and 35 patients received a graft from a donor older than 45 years. The mean graft survival was significantly lower in recipients of kidney donors older than 45 years than in the recipients of donors younger than 45 (63 vs 84 %, at 1 year p < 0.005). No differences between the groups were observed in the number of hyperimmunized patients, mismatching, period of cold ischemia, age and sex of the recipients, number of transfusions, patients with HBsAg(+), time on dialysis, number of rejection episodes, serum level of ALT, days of hospitalization. Among the patients treated with cyclosporine, one year graft survival after was 61 % in the recipients of donor kidneys older than 45 years old as compared wich 91 % in the recipients of donor kidneys younger than 45 years old (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the older age of the donor seems to reduce kidney graft survival, which may not be improved by cyclosporin.