The impact of recurrence of primary glomerulonephritis on renal allograft outcome

The outcomes of patients with kidney failure due to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in Australia and New Zealand: A cohort study using the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA)

BACKGROUND

The outcomes of patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) on kidney replacement therapy (KRT) have not been well described. This study evaluated the outcomes of patients with kidney failure due to FSGS on KRT including dialysis and kidney transplantation.

METHOD AND MATERIALS

All adult patients with kidney failure who commenced KRT in Australia and New Zealand from 15th of May 1963 to 31st of December 2018 were retrospectively extracted from the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) Registry. Outcomes of patients with FSGS were compared to those with other causes of kidney failure (non-FSGS).

RESULTS

85,052 patients commenced KRT during the study period, of whom 2991 (3.5%) were patients with FSGS. Compared to patients with non-FSGS, patients with FSGS experienced similar mortality on dialysis (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.98, 95% CI 0.90-1.06, p = 0.55) and following kidney transplantation (aHR 0.92, 95% CI 0.73-1.15, p = 0.47). The risk of first kidney allograft loss was higher in patients with FSGS (aHR 1.20, 95% CI 1.04-1.37, p = 0.01). However, when death was analysed as a competing risk, the survival in both groups was similar (sub-hazard ratio [SHR] 1.09, 95% CI 0.94-1.28, p = 0.26). Patients with FSGS had a longer waiting time for kidney transplantation (aHR 0.92, 95% CI 0.86-0.98, p = 0.02) and experienced an increased risk of disease recurrence in the allograft (aHR 1.73, 95% CI 1.35-2.21, p<0.001). Compared to patients with other forms of glomerular disease, patients with FSGS experienced similar dialysis and transplant patient survival and death-censored rate of kidney transplantation and allograft loss but higher rates of primary kidney disease recurrence.

CONCLUSION

FSGS was associated with similar dialysis and transplant patient survival and death-censored first allograft loss compared to non-FSGS and other forms of glomerular disease.

Incidence, Risk Factors, and Effect on Allograft Survival of Glomerulonephritis Post-transplantation in a United Kingdom Population: Cohort Study

Background

Post-transplant glomerulonephritis (PTGN) has been associated with inferior long-term allograft survival, and its incidence varies widely in the literature.

Methods

This is a cohort study of 7,623 patients transplanted between 2005 and 2016 at four major transplant UK centres. The diagnosis of glomerulonephritis (GN) in the allograft was extracted from histology reports aided by the use of text-mining software. The incidence of the four most common GN post-transplantation was calculated, and the risk factors for disease and allograft outcomes were analyzed.

Results

In total, 214 patients (2.8%) presented with PTGN. IgA nephropathy (IgAN), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), membranous nephropathy (MN), and membranoproliferative/mesangiocapillary GN (MPGN/MCGN) were the four most common forms of post-transplant GN. Living donation, HLA DR match, mixed race, and other ethnic minority groups were associated with an increased risk of developing a PTGN. Patients with PTGN showed a similar allograft survival to those without in the first 8 years of post-transplantation, but the results suggest that they do less well after that timepoint. IgAN was associated with the best allograft survival and FSGS with the worst allograft survival.

Conclusions

PTGN has an important impact on long-term allograft survival. Significant challenges can be encountered when attempting to analyze large-scale data involving unstructured or complex data points, and the use of computational analysis can assist.

Recurrent glomerulonephritis after kidney transplantation: a practical approach

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review will provide a practical approach in the assessment of kidney failure patients with primary glomerulonephritides (GN) being considered for kidney transplantation, focusing on high-risk subtypes of immunoglobulin A nephropathy, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, idiopathic membranous glomerulonephritis and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recurrent glomerulonephritis remains one of the most common causes of allograft loss in kidney transplant recipients. Although the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of glomerulonephritis recurrence occurring after kidney transplantation are relatively well-described, the natural course and optimal treatment strategies of recurrent disease in kidney allografts remain poorly defined. With a greater understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment responses of patients with glomerulonephritis affecting the native kidneys, these discoveries have laid the framework for the potential to improve the management of patients with high-risk glomerulonephritis subtypes being considered for kidney transplantation.

SUMMARY

Advances in the understanding of the underlying immunopathogenesis of primary GN has the potential to offer novel therapeutic options for kidney patients who develop recurrent disease after kidney transplantation. To test the efficacy of novel treatment options in adequately powered clinical trials requires a more detailed understanding of the clinical and histological characteristics of kidney transplant recipients with recurrent glomerulonephritis.

Recurrent Glomerulonephritis after Renal Transplantation: The Clinical Problem

Glomerulonephritis (GN) continues to be one of the main causes of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) with an incidence rating from 10.5% to 38.2%. Therefore, recurrent GN, previously considered to be a minor contributor to graft loss, is the third most common cause of graft failure 10 years after renal transplantation. However, the incidence, pathogenesis, and natural course of recurrences are still not completely understood. This review focuses on the most frequent diseases that recur after renal transplantation, analyzing rate of recurrence, epidemiology and risk factors, pathogenesis and bimolecular mechanisms, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and therapy, taking into consideration the limited data available in the literature. First of all, the risk for recurrence depends on the type of glomerulonephritis. For example, recipient patients with anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease present recurrence rarely, but often exhibit rapid graft loss. On the other hand, recipient patients with C3 glomerulonephritis present recurrence in more than 50% of cases, although the disease is generally slowly progressive. It should not be forgotten that every condition that can lead to chronic graft dysfunction should be considered in the differential diagnosis of recurrence. Therefore, a complete workup of renal biopsy, including light, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy study, is essential to provide the diagnosis, excluding alternative diagnosis that may require different treatment. We will examine in detail the biomolecular mechanisms of both native and transplanted kidney diseases, monitoring the risk of recurrence and optimizing the available treatment options.

Effect of Glomerulopathy Recurrence in the Outcome and Graft Survival of Kidney Transplanted Patients

BACKGROUND

Recurrent glomerulopathy (GP) after kidney transplantation is a complication of kidney transplantation that could negatively affect kidney function and graft survival. This study aimed to evaluate the outcome, graft survival, and GP recurrence and its predictive factors in kidney-transplanted patients.

METHODS

Patients were divided into 2 groups: G1 (with GP; n = 95) and G2 (with other causes of end-stage renal disease; n = 373). Graft survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier for living donor (LD) and deceased donor (DD). Cox proportional hazards regression were used to investigate the predictors for graft loss and for GP recurrence.

RESULTS

Disease recurrence was observed in 9 patients who received a kidney from an LD, of which 4 lost their grafts. In patients who received a kidney from a DD, recurrence was also observed in 9 patients, of which 3 lost their grafts. No statistically significant differences in graft survival between G1 and G2 in relation to LD and DD were noted (P = .299 and .434, respectively). However, differences in graft survival were found when GP subtypes and GP recurrence were analyzed. The predictors of graft loss were delayed graft function (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.226, P = .002), rejection episodes (HR = 1.904, P = .017), and recurrence or transplant GP (HR = 3.243, P = .006). The predictors of disease recurrence or transplant GP were age (HR = 0.945, P = .028) and cold ischemia time (HR = 1.117, P = .003).

CONCLUSION

Kidney transplantation could be a reasonable treatment for GP with end-stage renal disease. Despite the disease recurrence, which is a significant cause of graft loss in transplant recipients, graft survival remains satisfactory.

The association of acute rejection vs recurrent glomerular disease with graft outcomes after kidney transplantation

BACKGROUND

It has been shown that glomerulonephritis (GN) recurrence affects graft survival more than acute rejection. Thus, we assessed allograft survival after biopsy-confirmed diagnosis of acute rejection or recurrent GN in current era of immunosuppression.

METHODS

Allograft survival following a biopsy diagnosis of acute rejection or recurrent GN was determined in adult kidney transplant recipients from 1994 to 2013. A total of 306 patients (35%) with IgA, 298 (35%) with FSGS, 177 (21%) with lupus nephritis, and 81 (9%) with membranous nephropathy were followed for a median of 6.3 years.

RESULTS

Among the 862 transplant recipients with primary GN, allograft loss was similar following a biopsy diagnosis of acute rejection or recurrent glomerular disease (11.5 vs 14.2/100 person-years, P = .15). Differences in allograft survival emerged after 2.5 years following recurrent disease, with significantly higher graft failure in patients with FSGS, MN, or LN compared with IgA after recurrence of disease (16.7 vs 7.5/100 person-years, P = .05). The advantage in allograft survival for IgA patients did not achieve significance after acute rejection (P = .10 for IgA vs FSGS, MN, and LN).

CONCLUSIONS

Allograft survival was similar after disease recurrence or acute rejection after kidney transplant in patients with ESRD due to GN.

Membranous Nephropathy Posttransplantation: An Update of the Pathophysiology and Management

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a common cause of nephrotic syndrome after transplantation and is associated with an increased risk of allograft loss. MN may occur either as a recurrent or as a de novo disease. As in native kidneys, the pathophysiology of the MN recurrence is in most cases associated with antiphospholipid A2 receptor antibodies. However, the posttransplant course has some distinct features when compared with primary MN, including a lower chance of spontaneous remission and a greater requirement for adjuvant immunosuppressive therapy to induce complete remission. Although the efficacy of rituximab in primary MN is now well established, no randomized studies have assessed its effectiveness in MN after transplant, and there are no specific recommendations for the management of these patients. This review aims to synthesize and update the pathophysiology of posttransplant MN, as well as to address unsolved issues specific to transplantation, including the prognostic value of antiphospholipid A2 receptor, the risk of living-related donation, the link between de novo MN and rejection, and different therapeutic strategies so far deployed in posttransplant MN. Lastly, we propose a management algorithm for patients with MN who are planning to receive a kidney transplant, including pretransplant considerations, posttransplant monitoring, and the clinical approach after the diagnosis of recurrence.

Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy. Recurrence After Renal Transplantation

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerular disease worldwide. The disease generally runs an indolent course but may lead to ESRD in 20-30% of patients in 20 years or more after diagnosis. Patients with IgA nephropathy are ideal candidates for renal transplant because they are generally relatively young and with few comorbidities. Their graft survival is better or comparable to that of controls at 10 years, though few data are available after 10 years of follow-up. Recurrence of the original disease in the graft is a well-known complication of transplant in IgAN and is a significant cause of deterioration of graft function. Recurrent IgAN rarely manifests clinically before 3 years post transplantation. Recurrence rate is estimated to be around 30% with considerable differences among different series. Despite these factors there is no certain recurrence predictor, young age at renal transplant, rapid progression of the original disease and higher levels of circulating galactose-deficient IgA1 and IgA-IgG immune complexes are all associated with a higher rate of recurrence. Which pathogenetic mechanisms are responsible for the progression of the recurrence to graft function deterioration, and what therapy can prevent or slow down the progression of the disease in the graft, are open questions. The aim of this review is to describe the clinical outcome of renal transplantation in IgA patients with attention to the rate and the predictors of recurrence and to discuss the available therapeutic options for the management of recurrence.

Recurrent glomerulonephritis following renal transplantation and impact on graft survival

Background

Recurrence of primary glomerulonephritis in the post-transplant period has been described in the literature but the risk remains poorly quantified and its impact on allograft outcomes and implications for subsequent transplants remain under-examined. Here we describe the rates and timing of post-transplant glomerulonephritis recurrence for IgA nephropathy, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, mesangiocapillary GN and membranous GN based on 28 years of ANZDATA registry transplant data.

Methods

We investigated the rates of GN recurrence and subsequent graft outcomes in 7236 patient from 28 years of ANZDATA transplant registry data. Data were analysed in R, using Kaplan Meier Survival analysis and adjusted analyses performed using Cox Proportional Hazards methods. A competing risk model was also analysed.

Results

GN recurrence occurred in 10.5% of transplants and was most common in mesangiocapillary GN. Median time to recurrence was shorter for FSGS compared to IGAN. GN recurrence was less common in patients over 50 years of age and after unrelated kidney donation. We identified a significantly higher risk of recurrence in secondary grafts following recurrence in a primary allograft for FSGS (RR 5.70, 95 CI: 2.41–13.5, p < 0.001) but not IGAN, MCGN or MN. At 10 years, recurrence occurs in 8.7, 10.8, 13.1, and 13.4% of allografts for FSGS, IGAN, MCGN and MN respectively. In all GN, recurrence significantly reduced death censored graft survival at 5 and 10 years.

Conclusions

GN recurrence occurs in a minority of patients at a significantly different rate for each GN. After a recurrence, there is no evidence for an increased risk of further recurrence in a subsequent graft except in FSGS.

Clinical Outcomes of Kidney Transplantation in Patients With Biopsy-Proven Glomerulonephritis

BACKGROUND

The clinical outcomes after kidney transplantation (KT) according to the types of glomerulonephritis (GN) as the cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are various, but there are not many studies on this.

METHODS

Among 1,253 patients who had KT between November 1982 and January 2017, 183 recipients with biopsy-proven GN as the primary cause of ESRD were enrolled. We analyzed the incidence of recurrent GN and the factors associated with recurrence and graft and patient survivals.

RESULTS

The types of GN were 95 IgA nephropathy, 47 focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, 14 membranous proliferative GN, 9 membranous GN, 8 lupus nephritis, 6 rapid progressive GN, and 4 Alport syndrome. The mean follow-up duration was 103 ± 81.7 months. Recurrence was reported in 36 patients, of which 20 grafts failed due to recurrence. The age of patients with GN recurrence was significantly younger than that of patients without GN recurrence (P = .030). The graft failure rate of KT recipients with recurrent GN was significantly higher than that of the recipients without recurrent GN (55.6% vs 18.4%, P < .001). In multivariate analysis, recurrence of primary GN, the number of HLA mismatches at AB, delayed graft function, and acute rejection were independent risk factors for graft failure.

CONCLUSION

Recurrent GN remains a significant cause of graft loss in KT recipients. Surveillance of GN recurrence in the KT recipients with biopsy-proven GN can reduce allograft dysfunction.

Recurrent glomerular disease after kidney transplantation

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

With improving short-term kidney transplant outcomes, recurrent glomerular disease is being increasingly recognized as an important cause of chronic allograft failure. Further understanding of the risks and pathogenesis of recurrent glomerular disease enable informed transplant decisions, along with the development of preventive and treatment strategies.

RECENT FINDINGS

Multiple observational studies have highlighted differences in rates and outcomes for various recurrent glomerular diseases, although these rates have not markedly improved over the last decade. Emerging evidence supports use of rituximab to treat recurrent primary membranous nephropathy and possibly focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), whereas eculizumab is effective in glomerular diseases associated with complement dysregulation [C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS)].

SUMMARY

Despite the potential for recurrence in the allograft, transplant remains the optimal therapy for patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) secondary to primary glomerular disease. Biomarkers and therapeutic options necessitate accurate pretransplant diagnoses with opportunities for improved surveillance and treatment of recurrent glomerular disease posttransplant.

Recurrent glomerulonephritis after kidney transplantation: risk factors and allograft outcomes

Recurrent glomerulonephritis after kidney transplantation is a feared complication because it is unpredictable and may have a negative impact on graft outcomes. To better understand this we collected data from the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) Registry accumulated over 30 years. The incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of recurrent glomerulonephritis in transplant recipients were determined using adjusted Cox proportional hazard and competing risk modeling. A total of 6,597 recipients with biopsy-proven glomerulonephritis as the primary cause of end-stage kidney disease were followed for 51,871 person-years (median duration 7.7 years). The four most common types of glomerulonephritis were IgA nephropathy in 2501 patients, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in 1403, membranous in 376, and membranoproliferative (MPGN) nephropathy in 357 patients. Among these four types, recurrence was reported in 479 of 4637 patients, and of these, 212 lost their allograft due to recurrence. Older age at transplantation (adjusted hazard ratio [per year increase] 0.96 [95% confidence interval 0.95 - 0.97]) was associated with a lower risk of recurrence. Significantly, the five-year graft survival was 30% for recipients with recurrent MPGN and 57-59% for recipients with FSGS, IgA, and membranous nephropathy. Transplant recipients with recurrent disease were twice as likely to lose their allografts compared to those without recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio 2.04 [1.81-2.31]). Thus, recurrent glomerulonephritis remains a significant cause of graft loss in transplant recipients.

A Novel Biomarker for Post-Transplant Recurrent IgA Nephropathy

BACKGROUND

The serum levels of galactose-deficient immunoglobulin (Ig)A1 (Gd-IgA1) represent the most promising candidate biomarker for IgA nephropathy (IgAN). The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of Gd-IgA1 as a novel noninvasive biomarker for post-transplant IgAN recurrence.

METHODS

Serum Gd-IgA1 levels of 18 patients with recurrent IgAN were compared with control renal transplant recipients (n = 23) with non-recurrent IgAN and control non-transplant IgAN patients (n = 44) and healthy relatives (n = 11). Serum Gd-IgA1 levels of patients were measured with the use of KM55 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The effects of serum Gd-IgA1 concentrations on IgAN recurrence, post-transplant events, and graft survival were evaluated.

RESULTS

All recurrent IgAN patients presented with renal dysfunction (mean serum creatinine, 1.62 ± 0.39 mg/dL) and detectable proteinuria at the time of diagnosis. Serum Gd-IgA1 levels of recurrent IgAN patients (8735 ± 10854 ng/mL [log10: 3.71 ± 0.45]) were significantly higher than those of non-recurrent IgAN patients (4790 ± 6089 ng/μL [log10: 3.31 ± 0.64]) (P = .027). Serum Gd-IgA1 levels of non-transplant IgAN patients were significantly higher (8791 ± 8700 ng/μL [log10: 3.79 ± 0.36]) than those of non-recurrent IgAN patients (4790 ± 6089 ng/μL [log10: 3.31 ± 0.64]) and healthy relatives (2615 ± 1611 ng/μL [log10: 3.34 ± 0.27]) (P < .001 and P = .021, respectively). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve for recurrence of IgAN was 0.69 (0.53-0.85) for serum Gd-IgA1 (P = .038). Biopsy-confirmed allograft rejection rates were similar in the recurrent IgAN group [3 (17%)] compared with the non-recurrent IgAN [6 (26%)] group (P = .47). Graft failure rate was not also significantly different in the recurrent IgAN group [4 (22.2%)] compared with the non-recurrent IgAN group [2 (8.7%)] (P = .224).

CONCLUSIONS

This novel lectin-independent Gd-IgA1 ELISA that can detect serum Gd-IgA1 in patients with recurrent IgAN can be used as a biomarker for diagnosis and activity assessment of post-transplant recurrent IgAN.

Strategies for long-term preservation of kidney graft function

Kidney transplantation has become a routine procedure in the treatment of patients with kidney failure, and requires collaboration of experts from different disciplines, such as nephrology, surgery, immunology, pathology, infectious disease medicine, cardiology, and oncology. Grafts can be obtained from deceased or living donors, with different logistical requirements and implications for long-term graft patency. 1-year graft survival rates are greater than 95% in many centres but improvement of long-term function remains a challenge. New developments in molecular immunology and computational biology have increased precision of donor and recipient matching of HLA and non-HLA compatibility. Individual omics-wide molecular diagnostics, extracorporeal therapies, and drug developments allow for precise individual decision making and treatment. Tolerance induction by mixed chimerism without toxic conditioning and with a low risk of graft versus host disease is a visionary but realistic goal. Some of these innovations are already used in modern transplant centres and will allow advancement in long-term allograft preservation.

Increased glomerulonephritis recurrence after living related donation

Background

Kidney transplantation confers superior outcomes for patients with end stage kidney disease, and live donor kidneys associate with superior outcomes compared to deceased donor kidneys. Modern immunosuppression has improved rejection rates and transplant survival and, as a result, recurrence of glomerulonephritis has emerged as a major cause of allograft loss. However, many glomerulonephritides have significant genetic risk which may manifest through kidney intrinsic or systemic mechanisms. We hypothesise that heritable kidney intrinsic predisposition to glomerulonephritis will result in increased risk of glomerulonephritis recurrence in kidneys transplanted from genetically related donors.

Methods

We investigated the effect of living related donation on rates of recurrence and subsequent graft outcomes in 7236 patient from 28 years of ANZDATA transplant registry data. Data were analysed in R, using Kaplan Meier Survival analysis and adjusted analyses performed using Cox Proportional Hazards methods. A competing risk model was also analysed.

Results

Glomerulonephritis recurrence rates were significantly higher in living related donor grafts compared to either living unrelated or deceased donor grafts (p < 0 · 001). In IgA nephropathy, transplantation from living related donor kidneys demonstrated a 10 year recurrence rate of 16 · 7% compared to 7 · 1% in living unrelated donors and 9 · 2% in deceased donors (HR:1 · 7, 95% CI:1 · 26–2 · 26, p = 0 · 0005 for living related vs deceased donors). In focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, risk of recurrence at 10 years was 14 · 6% in living related donors compared to 10 · 8% in living unrelated donors and 6 · 6% in deceased donors (HR:2 · 2, 95% CI 1 · 34–3 · 64, p = 0 · 002) for living related vs deceased donors. Primary glomerulonephritis death censored graft survival was superior for living donor grafts, related or unrelated, compared to deceased donor grafts.

Conclusions

We identified a significant increase in the risk of glomerulonephritis recurrence in IgA Nephropathy and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis in living related donors compared to a deceased donors.

Kidney Transplantation Outcomes across GN Subtypes in the United States

Differences in kidney transplantation outcomes across GN subtypes have rarely been studied. From the US Renal Data System, we identified all adult (≥18 years) first kidney transplant recipients (1996-2011) with ESRD attributed to one of six GN subtypes or two comparator kidney diseases. We computed hazard ratios (HRs) for death, all-cause allograft failure, and allograft failure excluding death as a cause (competing risks framework) using Cox proportional hazards regression. Among the 32,131 patients with GN studied, patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) had the lowest mortality rates and patients with IgAN or vasculitis had the lowest allograft failure rates. After adjusting for patient- and transplant-related factors, compared with IgAN (referent), FSGS, membranous nephropathy, membranoproliferative GN, lupus nephritis, and vasculitis associated with HRs (95% confidence intervals) for death of 1.57 (1.43 to 1.72), 1.52 (1.34 to 1.72), 1.76 (1.55 to 2.01), 1.82 (1.63 to 2.02), and 1.56 (1.34 to 1.81), respectively, and with HRs for allograft failure excluding death as a cause of 1.20 (1.12 to 1.28), 1.27 (1.14 to 1.41), 1.50 (1.36 to 1.66), 1.11 (1.02 to 1.20), and 0.94 (0.81 to 1.09), respectively. Considering external comparator groups, and comparing with IgAN, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and diabetic nephropathy associated with higher HRs for mortality [1.22 (1.12 to 1.34) and 2.57 (2.35 to 2.82), respectively], but ADPKD associated with a lower HR for allograft failure excluding death as a cause [0.85 (0.79 to 0.91)]. Reasons for differential outcomes by GN subtype and cause of ESRD should be examined in future research.

Frequency of the Original Kidney Disease and Its Effect on the Outcome of Kidney Transplant in the Urology-Nephrology Center Mansoura University

OBJECTIVES

Renal allograft function and graft survival depends on many factors, including the source of the graft, immunologic matching between donor and recipient, incidence of acute rejection, and recurrence of the original kidney disease. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of the original kidney disease on patient and graft survival.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective, single-center study that included 2189 kidney transplant recipients who were transplanted at The Urology and Nephrology Centre, Mansoura University, between 1976 and 2010. Of 2189 recipients, 1350 patients with unknown original kidney disease were excluded, with the remaining 839 patients divided into 4 groups according to their original kidney disease.

RESULTS

We found pretransplant dialysis and blood transfusion to be statistically significant among the 4 groups. Regarding induction immunosuppressive therapy, a statistical significance was found between the 4 groups regarding the presence and type of induction therapy, with no statistical significance regarding the type of maintenance immunosuppression. There was no statistical significance between the 4 groups regarding the incidence of acute and chronic rejection. We also found recurrence of original kidney disease to be statistically significant in the 4 groups, particularly in the group that included patients with glomerular disease, where the highest rate of recurrence was reported in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, and patient and graft survival was also statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The original kidney disease has an effect on renal allograft function and graft and patient survival.