Kidney Disease after Heart and Lung Transplantation

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is not only common after lung and heart transplantation but also is associated with increased morbidity and mortality due to multiple pre-, peri- and post-transplant factors. While the exact incidence of CKD in this population is not well-defined, it seems to have gradually increased over the years as older recipients are more frequently considered. The increasing success of the procedure and expanding transplant candidate pool has allowed many with comorbid conditions to receive a transplant, which was considered prohibitive in the past. This review presents risk factors that have been linked to CKD as well as interventions that may help alleviate this serious problem. The impact of pretransplant renal function and the overexaggerated role of chronic nephrotoxicity of calcineurin inhibitors is discussed in detail. Until the exact pathophysiology of kidney disease is better understood, there is a dire need to expand the research agenda beyond observational studies.