LONG-TERM RESULTS OF RENAL TRANSPLANTATION IN 104 IRANIAN PATIENTS TRANSPLANTED ABROAD

Abstract

The renal transplantation program in Iran had substantially been lagged behind in comparison to hemodialysis until 1985. Between 1979-1984, due to lack of the facilities, over 400 Iranian patients went abroad and underwent renal transplantation there. In order to evaluate the outcome of these transplants, all medical records of a nephrology clinic between the years 1978-1990 were reviewed and the records of 104 patients who had renal transplantation abroad were selected for this study. Out of these, 78 patients were transplanted from living related, 23 from cadaveric, and, 3 from living unrelated donors. Seventy-two percent of the transplants were carried out in England. The duration of follow-up since the date of transplantation, ranged from 3.5-14.8 years. The patient and graft survival rates in recipients of living related kidneys were significantly longer, but 23 cadaveric transplants (performed before cyclosporine) had inferior results. The most common cause of death was coronary artery disease. Four cases of malignancies were seen at an average time period of 70 months posttransplant. Coronary artery disease, septicemia, pneumonia, and hypertension were more common in the recipients of cadaveric kidneys, and urinary tract infection in recipients of living related allografts.