Cardiac Imaging and Management of Cardiac Disease in Asymptomatic Renal Transplant Candidates: A Current Update

Given the high cardiovascular risk accompanying end-stage kidney disease, it would be of paramount importance for the clinical nephrologist to know which screening method(s) identify high-risk patients and whether screening asymptomatic transplant candidates effectively reduces cardiovascular risk in the perioperative setting as well as in the longer term. Within this review, key studies concerning the above questions are reported and critically analyzed. The lack of unified screening criteria and of a prognostically sufficient screening cardiovascular effect for renal transplant candidates sets the foundation for a personalized patient approach in the near future and highlights the need for well-designed studies to produce robust evidence which will address the above questions.

Automated summary

Given the high cardiovascular risk in patients with end-stage kidney disease, it is crucial for clinical nephrologists to identify high-risk patients through screening methods and determine the effectiveness of screening asymptomatic transplant candidates in reducing cardiovascular risk. This review emphasizes the need for well-designed studies to provide robust evidence regarding screening criteria and prognostic cardiovascular effects for renal transplant candidates.