Results of Kidney Transplantation from Expanded Criteria Donors: A Single-Center Experience

BACKGROUND: Collection of kidneys from extended criteria donors (ECD) with diagnosed brain-death forms a part of the collection program that increases the number of transplantations. OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of ECD with those of standard criteria donors (SCD). METHODS: In a retrospective analysis in a group of 156 kidney donors, we identified ECD donors. We detected the basic parameters of the donors before kidney collection, and then evaluated the function of the graft, the survival of the graft, and the survival of the patients after 1, 3, and 5 years of transplantation. The results were then compared with the function of the graft from those of SCD donors. RESULTS: The ECD donors were significantly (p<0.001) older than the SCD donors. They had a higher body mass index (p=0.006) and prevalence of hypertension (p<0.001) and diabetes mellitus (p=0.004) compared to SCD donors. The graft function within the first 6 months and the survival of recipients in the first year of transplantation were significantly worse in ECD than in SCD groups (p=0.01, and 0.023, respectively). No difference in the graft survival was observed between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The long-term function of the graft and survival of patients and grafts in recipients of kidneys from ECD donors are comparable to SCD donors. Exploitation of the given organs for transplantation is important due to the constantly increasing demand versus limited offer of organs.