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It is considered safe to donate a kidney if internationally accepted medical criteria are fulfilled. However, some donors have encountered hypertension, proteinuria and impaired renal function after donation. The study was based on retrospective data on 908 donors, donating in the period 1997-2007. Preoperative and follow-up data were collected from patient files and the Norwegian Living Donor Registry. Follow-up data were available for 665 donors at 1 year after donation, and 256 donors at 5 years after donation. We calculated the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using the four variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. At 1 and 5 years after donation, the prevalence of hypertension was 11.7% and 27.1% respectively compared to 2.6% before donation. Proteinuria was present in 3.3% and 1.6% at 1 and 5 years. Mean eGFR was 56.1 ± 10.8 ml/min/1.73 m² at 1 year and 61.0 ± 11.8 ml/min/1.73 m² at 5 years. Mean blood pressure was 122.5 ± 10.6/76.2 ± 7.5 mmHg at donation ( n = 908), 124.3 ± 14.2/77.9 ± 8.2 mmHg at 1-year ( n = 649) and 127.2 ± 15.4/78.8 ± 8.3 mmHg at 5-year follow-ups ( n = 247). We found no evidence of further decline in renal function beyond the initial decrement following nephrectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]