Slow Progression of Aortic Calcification Is a Potential Benefit of Pre-emptive Kidney Transplantation

PURPOSE

Pre-emptive kidney transplantation (PKT) is expected to improve graft and cardiovascular event-free survival compared with standard kidney transplantation. Aortic calcification is reported to be closely associated with renal dysfunction and cardiovascular events; however, its implication in PKT recipients remains incompletely explored. This aim of this study was to evaluate whether PKT confers a protective effect on aortic calcification, renal function, graft survival, and cardiovascular event-free survival.

METHODS

One hundred adult patients who underwent renal transplantation between January 1996 and March 2016 at Hirosaki University Hospital and Oyokyo Kidney Research Institute were included. Among them, 19 underwent PKT and 81 patients underwent pretransplant dialysis. We retrospectively compared pretransplant and post-transplant aortic calcification index (ACI), renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR]), and graft and cardiovascular event-free survivals between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

The median age of this cohort was 45 years. Preoperative ACI was significantly lower in PKT recipients. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups regarding postoperative eGFR, graft survival, and cardiovascular event-free survival. However, the ACI progression rate (ΔACI/y) was significantly lower in PKT recipients than in those who underwent pretransplant dialysis. Higher ACI was significantly associated with poor cardiovascular event-free survival.

CONCLUSIONS

PKT is beneficial in that it contributes to the slow progression of after transplantation. Although we could not observe significant differences in graft and cardiovascular event-free survivals between the 2 groups, slow progression of aortic calcification showed a potential to decrease cardiovascular events in PKT recipients during long-term follow-up.

Partial Cystectomy of Paraganglioma of the Urinary Bladder Before Living Kidney Transplantation: Case Report

BACKGROUND

Paraganglioma (extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma) of the bladder is a very rare disease, accounting for 0.06% of all bladder tumors. Optimal management of bladder paraganglioma before kidney transplantation is unknown. We report a case of partial cystectomy for urinary bladder paraganglioma before living kidney transplantation.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 59-year-old man with a 27-year history of hemodialysis was referred to our department for further examination of a bladder tumor detected during pre-transplantation testing. Cystoscopy revealed a submucosal tumor on the right side of the bladder. The patient experienced a hypertensive crisis during transurethral resection of the bladder tumor. Endocrinologic and pathologic examinations confirmed the diagnosis of paraganglioma in the urinary bladder. A partial cystectomy was performed before kidney transplantation. Nine months after partial cystectomy, the patient underwent AB0-incompatible living kidney transplantation from his spouse. No disease recurrence or graft rejection was observed 12 months after the transplantation.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the 1st report on the management of paraganglioma in the urinary bladder before living kidney transplantation. Kidney transplantation after partial cystectomy is an option that may be considered in patients with paraganglioma of the urinary bladder, with careful observations of bladder function and vesicoureteral reflux to the grafts.