Risk of subsequent health disorders among living kidney donors

Few studies have investigated the risk of physiological sequelae in living kidney donors (KDs). We conducted a population-based cohort study using the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan, which covers more than 99% of citizens. We comprehensively investigated the risk of medical disorders after kidney donation in living KDs using a maximum follow-up of 13 years. From January 1997 to December 2010, 1081 living KDs and 1082 age- and sex-matched non-KDs were eligible. Primary outcomes comprised end-stage renal disease, chronic kidney disease, stroke, cancer, acute myocardial infarction, acute renal failure (ARF), and diabetes. The adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for developing ARF, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, cancer, end-stage renal disease, acute myocardial infarction, and stroke were similar between the KD and non-KD cohorts (P > .05). Although differences in the adjusted HRs of ARF were nonsignificant, the cumulative incidence rate of ARF 13 years after donation was 7.48 per 1000 person-years in the KD cohort compared with 3.46 in the matched non-KD cohort. The incidence rate ratio for ARF between donors and nondonors significantly increased to 2.16 (95% confidence interval, 1.61–2.71). Living KDs experienced no significant health disorders following kidney donation but should be alert to the higher incidence rate of ARF.