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Kidney volume has been proven to be a surrogate marker of nephron mass and renal function. We studied 190 donor and recipient pairs undergoing living donor kidney transplantation at our institution during 9 years. Different metrics of donor kidney volume (DKV) were explored: alone or indexed to recipient's anthropometry, as body surface area (BSA). DKV/BSA (min. 49.7; P33rd 77.7; P67th 95.3; max. 176 cm3 /m2 ) was chosen given its higher correlation with eGFR at 1 year, and recipients were divided according to its tertiles (T). The eGFR at 1 year was lower in T1, when compared with T2 (P = 0.015) and T3 (P

The donors' estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) after living nephrectomy has been a concern, particularly in donors with smaller kindeys. Therefore, we developed this retrospective observational study in 195 donors to determine the ability remaining kidney volume indexed to weight (RKV/W) to predict eGFR at 1 year through multivariate linear regression and to explore this relationship between annual eGFR change from 1 to 4 years postdonation evaluated by a linear mixed model. Comparing RKV/W tertiles (T1, T2, T3), RKV/W was a good predictor of 1-year eGFR which was significantly better in T3 donors. Gender, predonation eGFR, and RKV/W were independent predictors of eGFR at 1-year. In a subgroup with predonation eGFR < 90mL/min/1.73 m2 , a significant prediction of eGFR < 60mL/min/1.73 m2 was detected in males with RKV/W ≤ 2.51cm3 /kg. Annual eGFR (ml/min/year) change from 1 to 4 years was + 0.77. RKV/W divided by tertiles (T1-T3) was the only significant predictor: T2 and T3 donors had an annual eGFR improvement opposing to T1. RKV/W was a good predictor of eGFR at 1 year, independently from predonation eGFR. A higher RKV/W was associated with improved eGFR at 1 year. A decline in eGFR on the four years after surgery was only noticeable in donors with RKV/W ≤ 2.13cm3 /kg. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

In simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKT), persistence or recurrence of pancreatic autoantibodies (PAs) has been associated with pancreas graft (PG) autoimmune-driven injury. Our aim was to analyze the impact of PAs on PG survival.Methods. Between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2017, we studied 139 patients with post-SPKT antieglutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) autoantibody. Alloimmune (ALI) events were defined as PG rejection and/or de novo donor-specific antibodies (DSA).Hence, 3 groups were defined: patients without ALI events or anti-GAD (n ¼ 42), those with ALI events (n ¼ 14), or those only with autoimmune events (positive for anti-GAD and no ALI events; n ¼ 83). Results. Male sex was predominant (n ¼ 72, 52%). Median age was 35 years (interquartile range: 31-39) and median follow-up was 6-7 years (interquartile range: 4.1-9.2). Regarding anti-GAD positivity post-SPKT (n ¼ 90, 65%), no differences were observed concerning age, sex, anti-HLA antibodies, HLA mismatch number and de novo DSA. ALI events were present in 10% (n ¼ 14). PG survival 15 years post-SPKT was better in patients without immune events (96%) followed by those with ALI (69%) and autoimmune events (63%) (P ¼ .025). Anti-GAD was associated to higher annualized mean Hb1AC (P ¼ .006) and lower mean C-peptide (P ¼ .013). According to pre- and post-SPKT anti-GAD status, conversion from negative to positive was associated to worse (63%) 10-year PG survival (P ¼ .044), compared to persistence of negative (100%) or positive anti-GAD (88%). Anti-islet cell and anti-insulin autoantibodies had no impact. Conclusion. Anti-GAD presence post-SPKT was associated to higher pâncreas disfunction and lower PG survival. De novo anti-GAD seems to offer a particular risk of PG failure. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Background HLA mismatching is a well known risk factor for worst outcomes in kidney transplantation. Methods In the present study, HLA antigen and eplet mismatches were determined in 151 living donor-recipient pairs transplanted between 2007 and 2014 and rejection episodes and graft survival were evaluated. Results We found that high HLA-II eplet mismatch load (EpMM ≥ 13, versus low EpMM ≤ 5), was an independent predictor of AMR (adjusted HR = 14.839; P = 0.011), while HLA-II AgMM was not. We also showed that HLA-II EpMM load was a significant better predictor of AMR than AgMM (c-statistic = 0.064; P = 0.023). After discriminating HLA-II into HLA-DR and HLA-DQ loci we demonstrated that high versus low eplet mismatch load for HLA-DR (T3 ≥ 6 versus T = 0–1, p = 0.013) and HLA-DQ (T3 ≥ 7 versus T = 0–1, p = 0.009) are independent predictors for AMR. HLA-II EpMM increased discrimination performance of the classical HLA-II AgMM risk model (IDI, 0.061, 95%CI: 0.005–0.195) for AMR. Compared with AgMM, HLA-II eplet model adequately reclassified 13 of 17 patients (76.5%) with AMR and 92 of 134 patients (68.7%) without AMR (cfNRI, 0.785, 95%CI: 0.300–1.426). Conclusions Our study evidences that eplet-based matching is a refinement of the classical HLA antigen mismatch analysis in LDKT and is a potential biomarker for personalized assessment of alloimmune risk.

To compare mini-incision donor nephrectomy (MDN) with laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) performed by the same surgical team, regarding short- and long-term outcomes.Three hundred and five patients, who underwent donor nephrectomy in our institution, through an MDN (n = 141) between January 1998-November 2011 and LDN (n = 164) since June 2010-December 2017, were compared.The mean operative time for MDN (120 ± 29 minutes) was not significantly different when compared to LDN (113 ± 34 minutes), but when comparing the first 50 LDN and the 50 most recent, we found a reduction in the duration of the procedure. Laparoscopic donors had a shorter warm ischemia time (229 seconds vs 310 seconds, P = .01), particularly the 50 most recent, hospital stay (4.3 days vs 5.9 days, P .001), and postoperative complications (P = .03). The incidence of graft acute tubular necrosis (ATN) was superior in the MDN (89% vs 25%, P .001), although there was no significant difference regarding first-year serum creatinine (SCr) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (SCr 1.38 mg/dL vs SCr 1.33 mg/dL and GFR 63.7 mL/min vs 63.1 mL/min) comparing the 2 groups. Long-term graft survival did not significantly differ between groups. There was also no relationship between postoperative ATN events and long-term graft function.With the growing experience of the high-volume centers and with specialized teams, LDN could be considered the most suitable technique for living donor nephrectomy with better results in short-term results (warm ischemia time, hospital stay, and postoperative complications), without difference in long-term outcomes.

Até 30% dos pares de dador vivo não são transplantados por incompatibilidade do grupo ABO e/ou do sistema Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA). Os programas de doação renal cruzada surgiram como uma estratégia para tentar ultrapassar estas barreiras. Em Portugal o Programa Nacional de Doação Renal Cruzada (PNDRC) foi legislado em 2010 e o primeiro transplante renal cruzado ocorreu em 2013. Até ao momento foram efetuados 22 transplantes deste tipo. Objetivo: O presente trabalho visa avaliar as caraterísticas e perfil evolutivo dos doentes submetidos a transplante renal cruzado em Portugal. Métodos: Os autores apresentam um estudo observacional retrospetcivo com análise dos respetivos doentes. Resultados: Da amostra total, a maioria dos recetores era do sexo masculino (55%), com idade mediana 53 anos. A poliquistose renal foi a etiologia da doença renal mais comum (18%) e a maioria dos doentes encontrava-se previamente em programa crónico de hemodiálise (68%). Três doentes apresentaram Calculated Panel Reactive Antibody (PRAc) superior a 98% e 10 PRAc superior a 80%. Foi realizada indução de imunossupressão com Anti-Thymocyte Globulin (ATG) em 50% dos doentes e imunomodulação com Rituximab e/ou plasmaferese em 15%. Todos os recetores evoluíram com função imediata do enxerto. Não se registaram complicaçães major, com eventos minor em 15%. Num tempo mediano de follow-up de 2 7 [ 2-46] meses, não se verificou nenhum caso de rejeição celular aguda e a penas um de rejeição humoral. As sobrevidas do dador e recetor foram ambas 100%. Conclusão: A apresentação destes resultados preliminares excelentes visa estimular o aumento do número de pares a incluir no PNDRC e um maior número de transplantes efetuados no programa. Tal como uma parte significativa desta amostra, o transplante renal cruzado pode constituir uma possibilidade para doentes com incompatibilidade do sistema HLA e/ou do grupo ABO. A doação renal cruzada em muito engrandece a doação em vida, oferecendo a pares incompatíveis e selecionados, uma oportunidade de transplantação renal com sucesso.

HLA donor-specific antibodies developed de novo after transplant remain a major cause of chronic allograft dysfunction. Our study main purpose was to determine whether HLA MM, assessed traditionally and by HLA total and AbVer eplet mismatch load (EptMM and EpvMM) assessed with HLAMatchMaker, had impact on dnDSA development after living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT). We retrospectively analysed a cohort of 96 LDKT between 2008 and 2017 performed in Hospital Santo Antonio. Seven patients developed dnDSA-II and EpvMM and EptMM were greater in dnDSA-II group compared to the no dnDSA-II (18.0 ± 8.7 versus 9.9 ± 7.9, p = .041 and 41.3 ± 18.9 versus 23.1 ± 16.7, p = .018), which is not observed for AgMM (2.29 versus 1.56; p = .09). In a multivariate analysis, we found that preformed DSA (HR = 7.983; p = .023), living unrelated donors (HR = 8.052; p = .024) and retransplantation (HR = 14.393; p = .009) were predictors for dnDSA-II (AUC = 0.801; 0.622-0.981). HLA-II EpvMM (HR = 1.105; p = .028; AUC = 0.856) showed to be a superior predictor of dnDSA-II, when compared to AgMM (HR = 1.740; p = .113; AUC = 0.783), when adjusted for these clinical variables. Graft survival was significantly lower within dnDSA-II patient group (36% versus 88%, p < .001). HLA molecular mismatch analysis is extremely important to minimize risk for HLA-II dnDSA development improving outcome and increasing chance of retransplant lowering allosensitization.

From December 2019 to March 2020, China was the epicenter of the SARS‐CoV‐2 infection pandemic, but from that moment on, Europe surpassed China in the number of new cases and deaths related to this novel viral respiratory infection. The emergence of this world pandemic is particularly important for solid organ transplant recipients, who might have an increased risk of mortality, not only due to their chronic immunosuppression status, but also to the cardiovascular risk that correlates with several years of chronic kidney disease. To the extent that there is still a lack of knowledge about the clinical characteristics, evolution, and prognosis of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in kidney transplant recipients, we will report the first 5 cases diagnosed and followed in our transplant unit, as well as share the therapeutic strategies adopted.

Background and Aims ABO incompatiblitity was considered a barrier to kidney transplant. However, the shortage of available organs for transplantation and the excellent long term results further establish ABO-incompatible (ABOi) as a safe and effective therapeutic strategy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the outcomes of ABOi transplantation in terms of graft survival and function, rejection episodes and infections complications. Method The authors present a single center retrospective observational study, that include the analyse of 12 patients who underwent ABOi kidney transplantation between November 2014 and July 2019. All patients received Rituximab (375mg/m2) pre-operation and started Tacrolimus, Mycophenolate Mofetil and Prednisolone one week before surgery. Plasmapheresis was done to remove anti-A or B antibodies until their titles were Results : A total of 12 patients were included in the study, 75,0% male with 43 years (IQR 31-50) The most common blood group mismatch was A to O (n=4; 33%). In the first year, 2 of patients (17%) developed acute rejection. The follow-up time was 17 months (IQR 7-36). Five patients (42%) developed infectious complications. None patients developed cytomegalovirus or BK polyomavirus infections. At the end graft and patient survival were 100%. Conclusion ABOi kidney transplantation has become a routine procedure. By this approach, about 30% of living donors who were refused in the past can now donate their kidneys and thereby significantly expand the living donor pool. Immunosuppressive protocol of this Center can be considered safe.

Background and Aims Kidney volume has been proven to be a surrogate marker of nephron mass and renal function in living donors. Although many studies correlate the kidney mass with renal donors’ function after donation, few studies have compared the donated kidney mass with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the kidneýs recipients. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between donor kidney volume and post-transplantation graft function by using computerized tomography to obtain renal volumes. Method Clinical data off all donor and recipient pairs undergoing live donor kidney transplantation (KT) at our institution between January 2008 and December 2017 (n=195) were reviewed. The volume of the kidney selected for transplant was determined using volume calculating software and correlate to transplant recipient eGFR. Results All metrics of donor kidney volume (DKV): DKV alone, ADK adjusted for weight, body mass index (BMI) or body surface area (BSA), correlated significantly with eGFR (all with p Significant risk factors for eGFR0% (OR=2.075, P=0.039); higher donor age (OR per unit=1.033, P=0.047); and peritoneal dialysis modality (in comparison with preemptive KT: OR=3.232, P=0.013). Higher (T3) DKV/BSA tercile (in comparison with T1: OR=0.306, P=0.004) was protective of this outcome. Patients that experienced AR at 1-year had significantly lower DKV/BSA, particularly those with acute cellular rejection (ACR). The median follow-up was 4,8 years (IQR: 3.2-7.5). The censored graft survival by DKV/BSA terciles at 10 years were 59,3% for group 1, 91.3% for group 2 and 91.1% for group 3 (figure 3). Conclusion Our study demonstrates that transplantation of donor-recipient pairs with lower DKV/BSA ratio were associated with significantly worse graft function and higher incidence of AR. This data suggests that a larger mass of nephrons remaining adjusted to recipient’s weight seems to predict a better long-term eGFR. This method can be useful in order to identify patients at risk for a low eGFR after KT and, in cases of multiple potential donors, optimize donor selection.

The occurrence of ascites after Renal Transplant (RT) is infrequent, and may be a consequence of surgical or medical complications. Case report: 61 year-old, male, history of arterial hypertension, tongue carcinoma and alcoholic habits 12-20g/day. He had chronic kidney disease secondary to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, without hepatic polycystic disease. He underwent cadaver donor RT in September 2017. He had delayed graft function by surgically corrected renal artery stenosis. He was admitted in January 2018 for ascites de novo, with no response to diuretics. HE had visible abdominal collateral circulation. Graft dysfunction, adequate tacrolinemia, Innocent urinary sediment, mild anemia, without thrombocytopenia. Serum albumin 4.0g / dL. Normal hepatic biochemistry. Peritoneal fluid with transudate characteristics and serum albumin gradient > 1.1. Ultrasound showed hepatomegaly, permeable vascular axes, without splenomegaly. Mycophenolate mofetil was suspended, with reduced remaining immunosuppression. He maintained refractory ascites: excluded infectious, metabolic, autoimmune and neoplastic etiologies. No nephrotic proteinuria and no heart failure. MRI: micronodules compatible with bile cysts. Upper Digestive Tract Endoscopy did not show gastroesophageal varicose veins. Normal abdominal lymphoscintigraphy. He underwent exploratory laparoscopy with liver biopsy: incomplete septal cirrhosis of probable vascular etiology some dilated bile ducts. He maintained progressive RT dysfunction and restarted hemodialysis. The proposed direct measurement of portal pressure was delayed by ascites resolution. There was further recovery of the graft function. Discussion: Incomplete septal cirrhosis is an uncommon cause of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension. Its definition is not well known, morphological and pathophysiological. We have not found published cases of post-RT ascites secondary to this pathology, described as possibly associated with drugs, immune alterations, infections, hypercoagulability and genetic predisposition.

Background Superior patient and graft survival rates have been attributed to living donor kidney transplant (LDKT) when compared to deceased donor transplantation. The aim of this study was to assess graft survival in a population of LDKT in the last 14 years and the potential impact of some clinical features. Methods A retrospective observational study was conducted, reviewing the records of all patients undergoing LDKT in one center from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2017. Survival data were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier, log rank test, and Cox regression. Results Two hundred seventy-seven LDKT were performed. The median follow-up time was 4 (0–13) years. Graft loss was observed in 9% of patients; 4 patients died. The overall survival was 97% at year 1, 94% at year 5, and 83% at years 10 and 13. We found a significantly worse graft survival in patients with early vascular complications that required surgical intervention (P = .00) ≥3 HLA MM (P = .01), ≥1 HLA-DR MM (P = .04) and female recipients (P = .01). The negative impact of ≥1 HLA-B MM on survival was borderline (P = .05). After excluding early graft losses secondary to vascular events, ≥1 HLA-A MM and rejection have also implicated a negative impact on survival (P = .04 and .01, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, these variables were still related to inferior survival. Conclusions We observed a good overall graft survival (>80% after 13 years). Possible factors related to poor outcomes suggested by this study were early vascular complications; HLA mismatches; rejection; and, with less certainty, female recipients.

The reduced access of highly-sensitized (HS) patients to kidney transplantation (KTx) is one of the major challenges for transplant community. Therefore, the aim of our study was to estimate the impact of three different vPRA calculations, assessed traditionally and using eplet-based analysis, in donor offers.At 01-01-2020, 157 HS patients are waitlisted for deceased donor KTx and were included in this study. Total vPRA (vPRAt) was calculated considering all patient allosensitization history, using 1 k MFI cut-off. Current vPRA (vPRAc) refers only to the last year SAB assays, using 1 k MFI cut-off. For eplet vPRA (vPRAe) every SAB assay was analyzed by HLAMatchmaker and HLAfusion software. Matching runs have been performed taking vPRA calculation as unacceptable antigens (UAs).All patients had at least one previous sensitizing event and patients with 100% vPRA were predominantly candidates for retransplantation (P 0.001), had higher PRA-CDC (P 0.001), and longer dialysis vintage waiting time (P 0.001). Inter-group movement analysis between vPRA measures showed that 70 (45%), 124 (79%) and 80 (51%) patients were reclassified to a lower group when considering vPRAt to vPRAc, vPRAt to vPRAe and vPRAc to vPRAe, respectively. The median percentage of change in estimated number of match runs needed for 95% probability of finding an acceptable donor was significantly more pronounced by increasing vPRAt intervals, when considering the reclassification from vPRAt to vPRAe (P 0.001) or vPRAc to vPRAe (P = 0.045), while from vPRAt to vPRAc it was not (P = 0.899).Our study demonstrated that the use of total or current vPRA calculations are impairing HS patients, by decreasing transplant probability, leading to dramatically longer waiting times, when compared to eplet based vPRA.

The impact of patient's biological differences in waiting time for kidney transplantation is well known and has been a subject of extensive debate and struggle in transplantation community. Our purpose was to evaluate patient's access to kidney transplantation in Portugal, regarding their degree of allosensitization and blood type. A retrospective cohort study including 1020 candidates for kidney transplantation between 01 January 2010 and 31 December 2011 in transplant unit Centro Hospitalar do Porto was performed. The deceased donor organ offer by blood type decreased with the calculated panel reactive antibody (cPRA) increase for A and B blood groups candidates, while in 0 blood group candidates, a significant reduction in organ offer was only observable in hypersensitized (HS) ones. As a consequence, the median waiting time was also significantly higher in 0 blood group patients, when compared to the remaining groups. However, waiting time increased extensively with cPRA regardless blood type, especially HS patients with increases of 368%, 632%, 486%, and 140% for blood groups A, B, AB, and 0, respectively, when compared to each blood group global median waiting time. Our study shows that important measures need to be undertaken in order to mitigate the huge disadvantage that HS and 0 blood type patients naturally have.

Introduction Immunosuppression has a pivotal role in kidney transplantation. The new prolonged-release formulation of tacrolimus was developed to provide a more convenient once-daily dosing to improve patient adherence. Methods We selected 60 stable kidney transplant recipients who underwent tacrolimus conversion in our unit. Conversion was made on a 1 mg:1 mg basis in 66.7% of patients (n = 40) and on a 1 mg:1.1 mg basis in the remaining 33.3% (n = 20). Clinical and analytical data at conversion and postconversion was analyzed retrospectively to evaluate the efficacy and safety of conversion from tacrolimus twice-daily to once-daily formulation. Results A significant reduction in tacrolimus blood levels requiring an increase in tacrolimus daily dose was observed postconversion. Postconversion tacrolimus blood level reduction >25% was significantly higher in the conversion group 1 mg:1 mg basis ( P = .004). In patients converted 1 mg:1 mg, female sex and higher tacrolimus level at conversion were significant risk factors for a reduction >25% in tacrolimus blood levels after conversion. No significant change was detected between mean glomerular filtration rate at conversion (57 mL/min) and at 3, 6, and 9 months postconversion. Conclusions Once-daily tacrolimus at similar doses to the twice-daily formulation is an efficient and safe treatment option. Conversion made on 1 mg:1.1 mg basis seems advantageous at least in some patients.

BACKGROUND Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) remains associated with reduced kidney graft survival and no clear prognostic marker is available. METHODS We investigated whether donor-specific antibodies (DSA) ability to bind C1q in comparison with AMR C4d status, both indirect signs of complement activation, improve risk stratification at time of AMR. Hence, among 467 patients in whom 1 or more graft biopsies were performed between 2008 and 2015, we included 56 with AMR according to Banff '15 criteria. Using concurrent sera, we prospectively identified DSA by single-antigen beads (IgG and C1q) assays. RESULTS Antibody-mediated rejection C4d (+) (n = 28) was associated with preformed DSA (P = 0.007), whereas DSA C1q (+) (n = 25) cases had stronger IgG-DSA (P < 0.001). At AMR, graft function was similar between DSA C1q groups, but in the first year after, it improved in DSA C1q (-), whereas a steady decline was observed in DSA C1q (+) cases, remaining significantly lower from 1 year until 4 years after AMR. DSA C1q (+) was significantly associated with reduced graft survival (P = 0.021), whereas AMR C4d (+) was not (P = 0.550). Importantly, a similar negative impact of DSA C1q (+) on graft survival was observed within AMR C4d (+) (P = 0.040) and (-) (P = 0.036), cases. In multivariable analysis, DSA C1q (+) (hazard ratio, 3.939, P = 0.005) and de novo DSA (hazard ratio, 4.409, P = 0.033) were independent predictors of graft failure, but stronger IgG-DSA was not. Similar results were obtained considering C1q-DSA and IgG-DSA strength as continuous variables. CONCLUSIONS C1q-DSA assessment at AMR can be a valuable tool in detecting patients with higher risk of graft failure.

Chronic-active antibody-mediated rejection (CAABMR) is associated with poor kidney graft survival and has no clear effective treatment. Forty-one cases of CAABMR were detected in indication graft biopsies and evaluated according to current Banff classification. We investigated the impact of concurrent donor-specific antibodies (DSA) and their characteristics, together with non-adherence regarding immunosuppression on CAABMR histopathological phenotypes and prognosis. Twenty-four (59%) patients had detectable DSA at biopsy, with 15 of them being considered non-adherent. Graft function at biopsy was similar in DSA (+) and (−) patients. DSA (+) patients had significantly higher tubulointerstitial inflammation (i and ti) and acute humoral (g+ptc+v+C4d) composite score than DSA (−). DSA (+)/non-adherent cases presented additionally with increased microvascular inflammation (ptc and v), besides having a distinctively lower ah score. C1q DSA strength was higher (P = .046) in non-adherent patients and correlated closely with C4d score (P = .002). Lower graft function and ah score, higher proteinuria and ci + ct score, and, separately per each model, DSA (+) (HR = 2.446, P = .034), DSA (+)/non-adherent (HR = 3.657, P = .005) and DSA (+)/C1q (+) (HR = 4.831, P = .003) status were independent predictors of graft failure. CAABMR with concomitant DSA pose a higher risk of graft failure. Adherence should be evaluated, and histopathological phenotyping and DSA characterization may add critical information.

De novo donor-specific antibodies (dDSA) relevance in simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantation has been scarcely investigated. We analyzed dDSA relationship with grafts outcomes in a long-term follow-up SPK-transplanted cohort. In 150 patients that received SPK transplant between 2000 and 2013, post-transplant anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies were screened and identified using Luminex-based assays in sera collected at 3, 6, and 12 months, then yearly. dDSA were detected in 22 (14.7%) patients at a median 3.1 years after transplant. Pretransplant anti-HLA sensitization (OR = 4.64), full HLA-DR mismatch (OR = 4.38), and previous acute cellular rejection (OR = 9.45) were significant risk factors for dDSA. dDSA were significantly associated with kidney (in association with acute rejection) and pancreas graft failure. In dDSA+ patients, those with at least one graft failure presented more frequently dDSA against class II or I + II (P = 0.011) and locusDQ (P = 0.043) and had a higher median dDSA number (P = 0.014) and strength (P = 0.030). Median time between dDSA emergence and pancreas and kidney graft failure was 5 and 12 months, respectively. Emergence of dDSA increased the risk of grafts failure in SPK-transplanted patients. Full HLA-DR mismatch was associated with dDSA emergence. dDSA characteristics might help identify patients at a higher risk of graft failure.

Donated kidney volume influences post-transplant outcomes and graft survival. We evaluated the relationship between living-donor kidney volume and recipient graft function at 12 months post-transplantation, exploring a volume threshold for a suboptimal graft function, and compared two different formulas of volume estimation. A retrospective analysis of 82 pairs of living-donor kidney transplants was conducted. Donor renal volumes were estimated from computerized tomography scans using the ellipsoid formula and the voxel counting technique. Linear and restricted cubic regression spline was used to analyze the association of volume with graft function. Additionally, we determined the correlation between the two volume estimation formulas and established a correction factor for the ellipsoid formula. Renal volume (adjusted to recipient BSA) had the strongest independent effect (B = 1.65 per 10 ml/m2 increase, p value

Background The relevance of preformed donor specific antibodies (DSA) detected by Luminex assays, with a negative complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) crossmatch, remains unsettled in kidney transplantation (KT). We aimed to analyze the impact of preformed DSA characteristics on kidney graft outcomes. Methods In 462 patients that received a kidney graft in our unit, between 2007 and 2012, pre-transplant sera were analyzed by Luminex screening assay to determine the presence of anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies and single-antigen bead assay [positive if mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) ≥ 1000] to assign anti-HLA specificities. Results Anti-HLA antibodies were present in 95 patients (20.6%), but only 40 (8.7%) had DSA. Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) at 1-year was higher in patients with DSA (35.0%) than in those without them (0.9%) (P 3000 were significantly associated with AMR occurrence. Receiver operator curves revealed that a MFI of > 4900 in the highest DSA bead had a high sensitivity (85.7%) and that the sum of all DSA beads MFI > 11,000 had a high specificity (92.3%) for AMR prediction. Anti-thymocyte globulin versus basiliximab induction was more frequent in DSA + AMR − (65.4%) versus DSA + AMR + (34.6%) patients (P = 0.072). Five-year censored graft survival was lower in DSA + than in DSA − patients (respectively, 84.8% versus 94.9%, P = 0.006), although survival was only reduced in DSA + AMR + (68.8%) versus DSA + AMR − (96.0%) patients (P = 0.038). Conclusions Preformed DSA is associated with kidney graft loss, in relation with AMR occurrence. DSA strength may be used to improve immunological risk stratification of sensitized patients and their clinical management.

The role of de novo donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen (anti-HLA) antibodies (dnDSA) within the pathways leading to graft failure remains not fully understood. We investigated 56 patients who were transplanted between 2002 and 2014 with kidney graft failure (cases), for a possible association of development of dnDSA with graft failure. The 56 patients with failed transplants were matched with 56 patients with a functioning graft at present for the variables deceased or living donor, transplant number, transplant year, recipient age and gender, donor age and gender, dialysis vintage time, transplant induction therapy. All patients had at least one serum collected 1 year before failure (in cases) or end of follow-up (in controls). Cases and controls were very well-matched in several baseline characteristics. Post-transplant anti-HLA antibodies were found in 84% of cases and only 36% of controls (P < .001), with 54% of cases and 16% of controls (P < .001) having dnDSA at time of detection. Chronic active antibody-mediated rejection was significantly more common (P < .001) in patients with dnDSA (61% vs 12%), in 53 (47%) patients that had at least one graft biopsy performed during follow-up. dnDSA was a significant risk factor (odds ratio [OR] = 6.06; P = .003) for graft failure in a multivariable conditional logistic regression model. dnDSA as a time-dependent variable, was also an independent predictor [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.46; P = .002] of graft failure in a multivariable Cox regression analysis. In both statistical approaches, only dnDSA-II (OR = 11.90; P = .006) (HR = 2.30; P = .014) was significantly associated with graft failure. Post-transplant dnDSA was clearly associated with graft loss, particularly if against HLA class II antigens. dnDSA detection should be a tool for post-transplant monitoring of kidney graft recipients, allowing for the identification of those with a higher risk of graft failure.

The detrimental impact of preformed anti-HLA donor-specific antibodies (DSA) is well defined, contrarily to non-donor-specific antibodies (NDSA). We sought to evaluate their clinical impact in a cohort of 724 kidney graft recipients in whom anti-HLA antibodies were thoroughly screened and identified in pre-transplant sera by solid-phase assays. NDSA or DSA were detected in 100 (13.8%) and 47 (6.5%) recipients respectively, while 577 (79.7%) were non-allosensitized (NaS). Incidence of antibody-mediated rejection at 1-year was 0.7%, 4.0% and 25.5% in NaS, NDSA and DSA patients, respectively (NaS vs. NDSA P=0.004; NaS vs. DSA P0.001; NDSA vs. DSA P0.001). Graft survival was lowest in DSA (78.7%), followed by NDSA (88.0%) and NaS (93.8%) recipients (NaS vs. NDSA P=0.015; NaS vs. DSA P0.001; NDSA vs. DSA P=0.378). Multivariable competing risk analysis confirmed both NDSA (sHR=2.19; P=0.025) and DSA (sHR=2.87; P=0.012) as significant predictors of graft failure. The negative effect of NDSA and DSA on graft survival was significant in patients receiving no induction (P=0.019) or an anti-IL-2 receptor antibody (P0.001), but not in those receiving anti-thymocyte globulin (P=0.852). The recognition of the immunological risk associated with preformed DSA but also NDSA have important implications in patients' risk stratification, and may impact clinical decisions at transplant.

Kidney transplantation in children has shown steady improvement in graft survival outcome over the last decades. Using data obtained from the transplantation registry of our center between 1984 and 2012, we assessed the independent determinants of graft failure using the Cox proportional hazards regression. Altogether, 128 recipients younger than 18 years of age at the time of kidney transplantation and who had >3 months graft survival were studied. During 9.95 years of medium follow-up, 27 censored graft failures occurred. Censored graft survival rates at 5, 10, 15, and 20 years post-transplantation were 93%, 82%, 70%, and 63%, respectively. Studied factors included recipient and donor age, recipient gender, dialysis vintage, donor/recipient cytomegalovirus (CMV) serology, panel-reactive antibody percentage, human leukocyte antigen mismatching, previous transplantation number, donor type (deceased vs living donation), cold ischemia time, induction therapy with antithymocyte globulin, occurrence of acute tubular necrosis, and development of acute rejection. Using univariate analysis, the significant predictors for graft-censored failure were adult donor (P < .001), recipient age (P = .035), human leukocyte antigen mismatching (P = .025), antithymocyte globulin induction (P = .03), and development of acute rejection (P < .001). Two factors independently predicted graft-censored failure in multivariate analysis. The odds ratios for graft failure in patients with acute rejection and in children who received an organ of an adult were 3.744 and 4.962, respectively. Pediatric recipients should receive the first priority for allografts from pediatric donors and acute rejection should be meticulously prevented.

Background Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease, with improved mortality and quality of life compared with dialysis. Desensitization protocols have allowed kidney transplantation of highly sensitized patients, who have a lower probability to receive a matching kidney from a deceased or living donor. The aim of this work was to analyze the post-transplantation period of highly HLA-sensitized patients with positive flow cytometry crossmatch against donor cells. Methods Following an observational, retrospective design, we investigated 16 highly sensitized patients who underwent kidney or kidney-pancreas transplantation, assessing the impact of desensitization protocols and investigating treatment-related complications, graft function, antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) rate, and graft and patient survivals. Results We studied 16 patients with positive flow cytometry crossmatch, who were divided into 2 groups based on whether they were submitted to a desensitization protocol or not. Patients who were desensitized underwent transplantation in later years, had higher immunologic risk (panel reactive antibody peak 62% vs 33%; P = .038), higher percentage of 2nd kidney transplant (75% vs 25%; P = .066), and higher percentage of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies identified (P = .028). A majority of patients were desensitized with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin and plasmapheresis, and 5 patients received rituximab. Acute AMR rate was of 38%, and rituximab was associated with fewer episodes of AMR. Only 1 patient had graft failure, due to chronic humoral rejection, and the remaining maintained good graft function (mean serum creatinine value of 1.33 mg/dL). No patient died and few complications related to immunossupression were observed. Conclusions Desensitization protocols were safe and allowed kidney transplantation in highly sensitized patients that probably would never undergo transplantation and gave the opportunity of living-donor transplant to patients with anti-HLA antibodies against the donor.

Introduction: Infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients undergoing kidney transplantation (KT). Aim and Methods: To determine the patterns of infectious complications during the first 6 months post transplantation, we report our single center experience with data from pediatric kidney recipients transplanted between 2006 and 2011. Results: Thirty-two children (20 males) were submitted to KT. The most common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) accounting for 62%. Over the first 6 months post-transplant period, twenty-eight (87.5%) children developed a total of 77 infections, mainly urinary tract infections (UTI) (64.9%). CAKUT etiology of ESRD and UTI before KT increased the risk to develop more than one episode of UTI [71.4% vs. 14.3% and 81.8% vs. 18.2%, respectively; p < 0.05]. Twenty-three (29.9%) viral infections occurred. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) was the most common opportunistic pathogen, occurred in 11 patients and was more frequently in those with a donor (D)+/recipient (R)- CMV sero-status [74.5% vs. 25.5% (p < 0.05)]. A polyomaviruses (BKV) disease with nephropathy and meningitis was registered. The majority of infectious episodes had mild or moderate severity. No deaths occurred. Conclusion: A significant number of patients presented infectious complications during the first 6 months post transplantation. UTI are the most common type of infection, followed by viral infections, particularly CMV. Recognition, prevention and early treatment of infections are of major importance.

An important benefit associated with kidney transplantation (KT) in women of childbearing age is increased fertility. We retrospectively evaluated the complications associated with 24 pregnancies among our KT over 28 years. In particular, we examined the evolution of serum creatinine as well as maternal and fetal complications. To assess the impact on graft survival, our control group included women without pregnancy who were matched for age at KT, year of KT, and follow-up time. Most women (79.2%) were primiparous. All were prescribed a calcineurin inhibitor, which in 75% of the cases was cyclosporine. Overall, 45.8% had prior hypertension, only one of whom remained on the previous antihypertensive regimen. The drugs most often used were nifedipine and methyldopa. The median age at time of KT was 24.16 (interquartile range [IQR] 21.33 to 29.72) years and at delivery, 28.39 (IQR 25.59 to 33.88) years. The average interval between KT and delivery was 4.5 ± 2.7 years (range, 1 to 10 years). Maternal complications were anemia (n = 16), graft pyelonephritis (n = 6), preeclampsia (n = 6), de novo proteinuria > 1 g/d (n = 3), or gestational diabetes mellitus (n = 2). There was no acute rejection episode or opportunistic infection. The fetal complications included delayed intrauterine growth (n = 8), preterm deliveries (n = 13), or congenital enzymatic deficit (n = 1). One case was a twin pregnancy. The average gestational age was 35.2 ± 3 weeks, and the mean birth weight 2318.2 ± 597.1 grams. In 16 pregnancies, deliveries were performed by caesarean section. The median serum creatinine at 1 month before conception was 1.20 (IQR 0.97 to 1.37) mg/dL and at 1 year after delivery it had tended to increase to 1 to 20 (IQR 1.03 to 1.50) mg/dL. Death-censored graft survival did not differ from the control group. In conclusion, pregnancy after KT may be associated with serious maternal and fetal complications. We did not observe an increased risk of graft loss.

Detrimental impact of preformed donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) against human leucocyte antigens on outcomes after kidney transplantation are well documented, however, the value of their capacity to bind complement for predicting antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) and graft survival still needs to be confirmed. We aimed to study DSA characteristics (strength and C1q binding) that might distinguish harmful DSA from clinically irrelevant ones. We retrospectively studied 60 kidney-transplanted patients with preformed DSA detected by single antigen bead (SAB) assays (IgG and C1q kits), from a cohort of 517 kidney graft recipients (124 with detectable anti-HLA antibodies). Patients were divided into DSA strength (MFI < vs. ≥ 15 000) and C1q-binding ability. AMR frequency was high (30%) and it increased with DSA strength (P = 0.002) and C1q+ DSA (P < 0.001). The performance of DSA C1q-binding ability as a predictor of AMR was better than DSA strength (diagnostic odds ratio 16.3 vs. 6.4, respectively). Furthermore, a multivariable logistic regression showed that C1q+ DSA was a risk factor for AMR (OR = 16.80, P = 0.001), while high MFI DSAs were not. Graft survival was lower in high MFI C1q+ DSA in comparison with patients with C1q- high or low MFI DSA (at 6 years, 38%, 83% and 80%, respectively; P = 0.001). Both DSA strength and C1q-binding ability assessment seem valuable for improving pretransplant risk assessment. Since DSA C1q-binding ability was a better predictor of AMR and correlated with graft survival, C1q-SAB may be a particularly useful tool.

Background Although donor perceptions of donation have been evaluated in several programs, evaluation of associated recipients has not been as frequent. Purpose Our aim was to evaluate and compare after transplantation, donor and recipient perceptions of donation. Methods After transplantation 35 recipients and 45 donors completed a sociodemographic and a donation perception questionnaire. We applied the Fisher test to descriptive (absolute and relative frequency) data. Results 57.8% of donors were female and 62.9% of recipients male. 53.3% of donors were siblings, 44.5% parents, and 2.2% a daughter. Most recipients (71.9%) thought that the donation was the donors' initiative and 21.9% that it was suggested by medical team. 96.4% responded that it was the donor's wish that determined their decision; 51.4% had serious or some doubts about accepting the option, but for 48.6% it was an easy decision. Among the donors, 88.9% decided by themselves and 8.9% were asked for donation. For 91.1%, their wish was the main reason of the decision, but 8.9% felt a moral obligation; 77.8% thought it was an easy decision, and 17.8% hesitated a little 84.4% were not worried about their future health. Conclusions Altruistic motivations were predominant in both groups. Most recipients thought that the motivation for donation was self-determined, a finding that agreed with donor perceptions. Perceptions about the quality of and changes in emotional relationship were the same in both groups. Donors and recipients referred to the donation process as positive, but there were some negative emotions and perceptions.

Cryptococcal infection has been increasing among immunosuppressed population. We report three cases of Cryptococcus neoformans infection in immunosuppressed patients – two renal transplanted and one with lupus nephritis. Early infection (

We present a case of a renal transplant patient with surgical wound infection 20 1days after kidney transplant.

Pancreas transplantation is an effective treatment for type 1 diabetes mellitus and is being increasingly performed worldwide. Early recognition of graft-related complications is fundamental for graft survival; thus, radiologists must be aware of the transplantation technique, pancreas-graft imaging and postoperative complications. We present normal pancreas-graft imaging appearances and the imaging features of postoperative complications.

Acute humoral rejection (AHR) is a severe form of rejection associated with poor graft survival. Prompt diagnosis and rapid institution of therapy are crucial to improve the prognosis. A therapeutic approach based on plasmapheresis, intravenous imunoglobulin, and rituximab seems to be effective in refractory cases. Herein we have described our experience with 11 patients with biopsy-proven AHR who were treated between January 2005 and June 2008. Seven of these patients had panel reactive antibodies titers more than 50%. The diagnosis was based on Banff 2001 criteria; treatment consisted of a combination of plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin. Four refractory cases were also treated with a single dose of rituximab. One graft was lost due to thrombosis. All other patients recovered graft function with an average creatinine level of 1.6 mg/dL at 8.6 +/- 2.7 months of follow-up.

Transpl Int. 2007 Mar;20(3):291-6. Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: a rare pulmonary toxicity of sirolimus. Pedroso SL, Martins LS, Sousa S, Reis A, Dias L, Henriques AC, Sarmento AM, Cabrita A. Nephrology Department, Hospital Geral de Santo António, Porto, Portugal. sofiapedroso@sapo.pt Abstract The aim of our paper is to describe an unusual pulmonary toxicity of sirolimus (SRL) in a kidney transplant recipient. We present a 34-year-old woman with a second renal transplantation, complicated with steroid-resistant acute rejection and chronic allograft dysfunction. Two years after initiating SRL, she presented complaints of progressive dyspnoea, nonproductive cough, chest pain and low-grade fever of 1 month duration. She had chronic allograft nephropathy and slight elevation of lactic dehydrogenase levels. After exclusion of common reasons of this condition, a computed tomography (CT) of the thorax and bronchoscopy was performed, revealing ground-glass opacification with polygonal shapes on CT and an opaque appearance with numerous macrophages on bronchoalveolar lavage. The alveolar macrophages stained positive by Periodic acid-Schiff. Diagnosis of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) was made and drug-induced toxicity was suspected. SRL was withdrawn with marked improvement in the patients' clinical and radiological status. PAP resolved within 3 months without further therapy. PAP is a very rare complication of SRL therapy with only a few cases described. Withdrawal of SRL with conversion to another immunosuppressant seems to be an appropriate procedure in this condition. PMID: 17291222 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE

Allograft nephrectomy (AN) is associated with a high number of surgical complications. Some authors advocate that early nephrectomy (1 year) is associated with fewer complications. Intracapsular (ICAN) and extracapsular AN (ECAN) might have a different impact on allosensitization and surgical outcomes. Our goal was to compare surgical outcomes between early and late AN in our institution and to compare ICAN and ECAN in terms of surgical outcomes and panel reactive antibodies (PRA) variation.Between January 2000 and October 2012, we performed 104 AN at our institution (32 early and 72 late). Comparisons between early and late AN, and, within the latter, between the 2 different techniques were sought. Statistical analysis was performed for sample description, group comparison and %PRA variation.Among the 104 patients with a mean age of 47.9 ± 14.2 years, 54 were men. Age, gender, body mass index, and number of previous transplants were similar between early and late AN and between ICAN and ECAN patients. Late AN was associated with less blood loss (293.4 ± 229.0 vs 414.3 ± 349.5 mL; P = .03), shorter hospital stay (12.8 ± 14.5 vs 26.8 ± 26.5; P.05), and fewer complications (22.2% vs 59.3%; P.05). The chance of being relisted for transplantation was similar (50.0% in early vs 59.7% in late AN; P = .7). When comparing ICAN and ECAN, there was no difference in surgical outcomes. The %PRA variation between the 2 techniques was comparable (-1.2 ± 10.6 ICAN vs -0.5 ± 15.9 ECAN; P = .8), as was the chance of being relisted for transplantation (60.5% ICAN vs 58.6% ECAN; P = .8).Early AN was associated with a greater number of surgical complications. Nevertheless, the number of AN patients returning to the active waiting list was similar between early and late AN groups. ICAN and ECAN had similar surgical and postoperative outcomes, although a bias may be present because some conversions from ECAN to ICAN occurred owing to technical issues. As in other studies, ICAN did not seem to affect allosensitization or jeopardize the chance of being relisted for transplant when compared with ECAN.

Objective In kidney transplantation, the impact of delayed graft function (DGF) on long-term graft and patient survival is controversial. We examined the impact of DGF on graft and recipient survival by accounting for the possibility that death with graft function may act as a competing risk for allograft failure. Study design and Setting We used data from 1281 adult primary deceased-donor kidney recipients whose allografts functioned at least 1 year. Results The probability of graft loss occurrence is overestimated using the complement of Kaplan–Meier estimates (1-KM). Both the cause-specific Cox proportional hazard regression model (standard Cox) and the subdistribution hazard regression model proposed by Fine and Gray showed that DGF was associated with shorter time to graft failure (csHR = 2.0, P = 0.002; sHR = 1.57, P = 0.009), independent of acute rejection (AR) and after adjusting for traditional factors associated with graft failure. Regarding patient survival, DGF was a predictor of patient death using the cause-specific Cox model (csHR = 1.57, P = 0.029) but not using the subdistribution model. Conclusions The probability of graft loss from competing end points should not be reported with the 1-KM. Application of a regression model for subdistribution hazard showed that, independent of AR, DGF has a detrimental effect on long-term graft survival, but not on patient survival.

Systemic hereditary amyloidoses are autosomal dominant diseases associated with mutations in genes encoding ten different proteins. The clinical phenotype has implications on therapeutic approach, but it is commonly variable and largely dependent on the type of mutation. Except for rare cases involving gelsolin or transthyretin, patients are heterozygous for the amyloidogenic variants. Here we describe the first patient identified worldwide as homozygous for a nephropathic amyloidosis, involving the fibrinogen variant associated with the fibrinogen alpha-chain E526V (p.Glu545Val) mutation. In 1989, a 44-year-old woman presented with hypertension, hepatosplenomegaly, nephrotic syndrome, and renal failure. She started hemodialysis in 1990 and 6 years later underwent isolated kidney transplantation from a deceased donor. Graft function and clinical status were unremarkable for 16 years, despite progressively increased left ventricular mass on echocardiography. In 2012, 4 months before death, she deteriorated rapidly with severe heart failure, precipitated byClostridium difficilecolitis and urosepsis. Affected family members developed nephropathy, on average, nearly three decades later, which may be explained by the gene dosage effects on the phenotype of E526V (p.Glu545Val) fibrinogen A alpha-chain amyloidosis.

Introduction Serum creatinine (SCr) alone does not allow for the early diagnosis of delayed graft function (DGF) following kidney transplantation (KTx). Objective, design and methods The diagnostic utility of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL), serum leptin, malondialdehyde (MD.A), and cystatin C (CysC) for the early detection of DGF was previously evaluated by our group in a prospective cohort study of 40 consecutive adults undergoing KTx. Because no single biomarker achieved adequate sensitivity or specificity for practical purposes, this study was designed to evaluate the combined use of new markers with SCr. Urine and blood samples were collected 8-to-12 h after KTx (day-1). Logistic regression was used to combine the biomarkers, and receiver operating characteristic curves and areas under the curve (AUC–ROC) were generated. Results Eighteen recipients developed DGF (dialysis requirement during the first post-transplant week). On day-1, the AUC for SCr to predict DGF was 0.73, 0.88 for uNGAL, 0.90 for MDA, 0.76 for leptin, and 0.91 for CysC. Adding new biomarkers to SCr enhanced the performance of DGF prediction, and the best combination was achieved with SCr, MDA, and CysC (AUC = 0.96, sensitivity = 100%; specificity = 86%). Conclusion A combination of graft damage biomarkers outperformed SCr in the early diagnosis of DGF, and the best performance was achieved by a triple-marker approach, using SCr, MDA, and CysC.

Context and Objective Based on evidence that leptin and adiponectin are removed from circulation primarily by the kidney, we designed a study to examine the longitudinal changes of these adipokines during the first week after kidney transplantation (KTx) and to test the hypothesis that higher levels of leptin and/or adiponectin could be early biomarkers of delayed graft function (DGF = dialysis requirement during the first post-transplant week) and acute rejection. Study Design Repeated-measures prospective study. Material and Methods Forty consecutive adult patients with end-stage renal disease who were undergoing KTx. Leptin and adiponectin were measured in blood samples that were collected before (day-0) and after KTx (days-1, 2, 4 and 7). Linear mixed-models, receiver operating characteristic and area under curve (AUC-ROC) were used. Results At post-transplant day-1, leptinemia and adiponectinemia declined 43% and 47%, respectively. At all times studied after KTx, the median leptin levels were significantly higher in patients developing DGF (n = 18), but not adiponectin levels. Shortly after KTx (day-1), leptin values were significantly higher in DGF recipients in contrast to patients with promptly functioning kidneys, approximately two times higher when controlling for gender and BMI. The leptin reduction rate between pre-tranplant and one-day after KTx moderately predicted DGF (AUC = 0.73). On day-1, serum leptin predicted DGF (AUC-ROC = 0.76) with a performance slightly better than serum creatinine (AUC-ROC = 0.72), even after correcting for BMI (AUC-ROC = 0.73). Separating this analysis by gender showed that the performance of leptin in predicting DGF for male gender (AUC-ROC = 0.86) improved. Conclusions Kidney graft function is an independent determinant of leptin levels, but not of adiponectin. Leptin levels at day-1 slightly outperformed serum creatinine in predicting the occurrence of DGF, and more accurately in male gender. No significant association was detected with acute rejection.