Delayed graft function and long-term outcome in kidney transplantation

BACKGROUND: There are still many controversies about the impact of delayed graft function (DGF) on kidney transplantation outcome. The aims of this study were to define factors associated with DGF and to ascertain the relative impact of DGF onkidney transplantation outcome, both in the early postoperative period and inlong-term follow-up.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four hundred kidney transplant recipients were reviewed to assess the clinical impact of DGF on long-term outcome.RESULTS: The overall prevalence of DGF was 24.3%. DGF was significantlyassociated with increasing recipient and donor age, duration of dialysis, andcold ischemia time. Patients with DGF displayed a significantly worse graft (P = .005) and patient (P < .001) survival compared with recipients with immediatefunction.CONCLUSION: DGF is a frequent complication of renal transplantation and may beassociated with a reduced graft and even patient survival. Strategies to prevent graft injury and, more specifically, DGF may be an important clue to provide abetter long-term outcome in kidney transplantation.