The Effect of Osmotherapy and Tight Control of Acidosis on Early Graft Function among Deceased-Donor Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Reperfusion injury and the acid-base status of the transplant are important factors affecting post-transplantation graft function. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that infusing hypertonic saline (HS) or tight control of acid-base status of the blood rushing through renal graft using sodium bicarbonate may have beneficial effects on early graft function. METHODS: Candidates for deceased-donor kidney transplant were randomized into three groups. HS group (n=33) received 50 mL/kg normal saline (NS) titrated during operation plus 4 mL/kg of 5% HS just within graft reperfusion phase; bicarbonate group (n=37) was administered 60 mL/kg NS while their metabolic acidosis (base excess ≤5 mEq/L) was tightly corrected every 30 min with sodium bicarbonate; and a control group (n=36) that received 60 mL/kg normal saline while they were administered sodium bicarbonate only, if they encountered severe metabolic acidosis (base excess ≤15 mEq/L). The primary outcome was defined as early post-operative renal function evaluated based on serial serum creatinine levels. The study was registered in Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT2013122815841N19). RESULTS: Post-operative early graft function improved significantly during the first 3 days in the intervention groups (p<0.05). However, that beneficial effect no longer remained at the same level after the day four. CONCLUSION: Timely administration of HS or tight control of metabolic acidosis with sodium bicarbonate infusion improve early renal function during renal transplant surgery.