Effect of Perioperative Blood Transfusions in Renal Transplant Patients

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings 2018-10, Vol.50 (8), p.2439-2442
• Main Authors: Tsujimura, K., Ota, M., Chinen, K., Nagayama, K., Oroku, M., Shiohira, Y., Iseki, K., Ishida, H., Tanabe, K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Blood Transfusion; Female; Graft Rejection - blood; Humans; Kidney Transplantation; Living Donors; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2018.03.082

In patients eligible for organ transplantation, the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines specifically recommend avoiding red blood cell transfusions (RBCT) when possible to minimize the risk of allosensitization. To assess the effect of perioperative RBCT on outcomes in living-related kidney transplantation (LRKT) recipients. We retrospectively assessed 97 patients who underwent LRKT and whose data were evaluable at our institution between March 2009 and May 2016. We measured serum creatinine levels and calculated the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after kidney transplantation (KTx). We evaluated the rejection rate within a year after KTx. We compared the renal function and rejection rate between those who received blood transfusions (n = 21) and those who did not (n = 76) during the perioperative period. Among patient characteristics, the rate of ABO-incompatible KTx and the mean hemoglobin levels before KTx differed significantly between the groups. The serum creatinine levels and eGFR within 1 year after KTx did not differ significantly between the two groups. The rejection rate in those who received blood transfusions and those who did not was 28.6% (6/21 patients) and 25.0% (19/76 patients) (P = .741), respectively. We found that the rejection rate was slightly higher in patients who received perioperative RBCT than in those who did not, but the difference was not significant within a year after KTx. Perioperative RBCT may not affect renal function within a year after KTx. •Anemia is common before and after kidney transplantation.•We assessed the effects of perioperative transfusions in kidney transplantation.•The rate of rejection was slightly higher among patients who received transfusions.•Perioperative transfusions are carefully administered in transplant patients.