Kidney Function at One Year After Kidney Transplantation

Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with kidney failure and, on average, results in better outcomes than dialysis. Protecting kidney function after transplantation remains a priority for patients and physicians alike.¹ In 2012, nearly half of those who received a kidney transplant, whether from a living or a deceased donor, had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min per 1.73 m² at 1 year following transplantation (Figure).

Chart-Percentage of Outcomes 1 yr Post Transplant, by Donor Type, Among Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients, 2012

eGFR is a measure of kidney function. It is the rate at which the kidneys filter wastes

and extra fluid from the blood and is measured in milliliters per minute. People with kidney damage (e.g., having albumin in the urine) or with an eGFR < 60 mL/min per 1.73 m² for 3 months or longer are considered to have chronic kidney disease (CKD). The lower the eGFR, the more advanced the disease. However, at 1 year following transplantation, the risk of death, requiring dialysis, or reaching an eGFR < 30 mL/min per 1.73 m²was low. Living donor

recipients do better than deceased donor recipients.² No matter the type of donor, focused attention to proper management of CKD and its risk factors is very important during follow-up

of transplant patients to protect the function of the transplanted kidney and prevent repeat

kidney failure.

1. Salvadori M, Rosati A, Bock A, et al. Estimated one-year glomerular filtration rate is the best predictor of long-term graft function following renal transplant. Transplantation. 2006;81(2):202-206.

2. Saran R, Li Y, Robinson B, et al. Chapter 7: Transplantation. In: US Renal Data System 2015 Annual Data Report: Epidemiology of Kidney Disease in the United States. Bethesda, Maryland: National Institutes of Health;2015:227-238.