Prognostic Value of Aortoiliac Calcification Score in Kidney Transplantation Recipients

Background Kidney recipients are increasingly older with arterial disease and extended arterial calcifications. In a kidney transplantation population, the prognosis value of aortic and iliac calcifications remains poorly explored. We aimed to assess the impact of pretransplantation aortoiliac vascular calcifications on patients, grafts survival, and cardiovascular events. Methods This retrospective study included kidney transplantation patients from 2006 to 2012 for whom we had available presurgery abdominal computed tomography results (n = 100). We designed a score to quantify aortoiliac calcifications. Primary end points were patient and graft survival. Secondary end points were renal function and cardiovascular morbidity. Predictive performances of calcification score were assessed using area under receiver-operating characteristic curves. Patients were classified in quartiles depending on global calcium score value. Results The cumulated rate of death and graft loss was 13% with no significant differences for survival between quartiles. No significant difference was observed in renal function (P = 0.4). Seventeen cardiovascular events were registered with a significant correlation between calcium score elevation and need of cardiovascular surgery during the follow-up (P = 0.01). Global calcium score had a predictive value of 74.5% (95% confidence interval 0.62–0.87) with 71% sensitivity and 73% specificity. Conclusions Aortoiliac calcifications do not decrease patient and graft survival. High calcium score predict cardiovascular events and procedures during the follow-up.