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Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical outcomes between anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) and basiliximab induction in deceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKT). Methods: Between May 2006 and February 2015, 40 patients underwent DDKT at our institution. Three cases (7.5%) of them were lost during the following-up schedule. In this study, ATG induction criteria were donor age >50 years old or donor creatinine level >1.3 mg/dL except hepatitis B virus positive and hepatitis C virus positive recipients. Recipients were divided into two groups: the ATG group (n=20) and the basiliximab group (n=17). Results: The 1-year patient survival in the ATG group was 89.4% compared to 93.8% in the basiliximab group (P=0.989). Graft survival for a 1 year in the ATG and the basiliximab group was 89.1% and 93.8%, respectively (P=0.967). Incidences of acute rejection episodes were more prevalent in the basiliximab group (15.0% vs. 29.4%, P=0.428). The glomerular filtration rate level by period of recipients was not different in both group (12th month, 64.60±16.17 mg/dL vs. 68.51±18.60 mg/dL, P=0.544). The overall complications during the follow-up were not significantly different in both groups (90.0% vs. 76.5%, P=0.383). Conclusions: The results showed that there was no difference in the patient survival and graft survival between induction of ATG and basiliximab of the DDKT were not different. Therefore, use of both induction agents led to a good patient and graft survival and ATG might be a safe and preferable agent for relatively poor renal function of donor in kidney transplantation.

Potential diseased donors manifest altered physiological changes associated with pulmonary edema, profound hemodynamic and metabolic abnormalities. These derangements may be more significant after apnea tests which result in severe hypoxemia and cardiovascular complications. Nitric oxide (NO) inhalation therapy can be applied following apnea tests in the brain-dead donor whose ventilator support has been maintained with high positive end-expiratory pressure. Inhalation of NO gas causes selective dilation of blood vessels in only those lung segments that are actively participating in gas exchange (oxygen and carbon dioxide) at the alveolar capillary level. In other words, this increases the blood flow to areas of the lung where oxygen is being provided and thus improves oxygen levels in the body. We report on the case of a 14-year-old organ donor with inhaled NO therapy after apnea testing. The duration of NO inhalation therapy was 14 hours. This deceased donor, who suffered with severe hypoxemia and hemodynamic instability after apnea tests, improved after NO gas therapy and adequate vasoactive drugs. NO gas therapy will be helpful for improving oxygen delivery to pulmonary vessels. Two kidneys and one liver were successfully retrieved from donors. These recipients had well preserved function of allografts. Therefore, NO inhalation can be help¬ful in improvement of hypoxemia and increasing organ availability in deceased organ donors.