Living-unrelated donor renal transplantation: an alternative to living-related donor transplantation?

INTRODUCTION An increasing number of living-unrelated, kidney donor transplants are being performed in our unit. We present a comparison of living-unrelated (LURD) and living-related donor (LRD) renal transplant outcomes and analyse influencing factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively analysed analysed the outcome of all living-donor renal transplants performed at our centre from 1993 to 2004. The parameters studied included patient and graft survival, functioning status of grafts (determined by estimated GFR) at last follow-up and any rejection episodes. Multivariate analysis was performed for recipient and donor age, ethnicity, HLA matching and re-trasplants. RESULTS A total of 322 live donor kidney transplants (LRD, n = 261; LURD, n = 61) were carried out over this period. Mean recipient age was 28 +/- 16 years in the LDR group and 48 +/- 12 years in LURD, while mean age of the donors was 43 +/- 11 years and 48 +/- 10 years, respectively. Caucasians constituted 80% of all the living donors. Amongst LRD, parents were the commonest (58%) donors followed by siblings (35%). In LURD, 80% were spouses. A total of 33 grafts failed, 30 in LRD (11%) and 3 in LURD (5%). Thirteen patients died, 11 (4.2%) in LRD (7 with functioning graft) and 2 (3.3%) in LURD (1 with functioning graft). Acute rejection occurred in 41% recipient in LRD and 35% in LURD ( P = 0.37). Estimated CFR was lower in LURD than in LRD (49 +/- 14 versus 59 +/- 29 ml/min/1.73 m(2); P = 0.032). One- and 3-year patients survival for LRD and LURD was 98.7% and 96.3% and 97.7% and 95%, respectively ( P = 0.75). One- 3-year graft survival was equivalent at 94.8% and 92.3% foe LRD, and 98.4% and 93.7% for LURD, respectively (P = 0.18). CONCLUSION Outcome of LRD and LURD is comparable in terms of patient and graft survival, acute rejection rate and estimated GFR despite differences in demographics, HLA matching and re-transplants of recipients.