Factors affecting graft function in pediatric and adult recipients of adult live donor kidney transplants

The aims of this investigation were to compare changes of function of adult living kidney grafts transplanted into adult and child recipients and to analyze factors associated with graft function during the first post-transplant year. The study involved 53 adult and 23 pediatric recipients with immediate graft function and without complications that could influence graft function. In comparison to children, adult recipients and their donors were older, and having been longer on hemodialysis they had received more transfusions. Although similar baseline graft function--GFR(0) was transplanted in both groups, absolute and relative GFR in adults rose and maintained stable, while in children absolute GFR decreased and remained similar to the GFR(0) until the end of the study. Significant predictors of kidney function in both adult and child recipients were donor age, ratio between GFR(0) and recipient BSA, induction immunosuppression, and systolic hypertension. In conclusion, the function of adult live kidney grafts changed differently in children and adults because of different functional requirements of recipients but donor age, induction immunosuppression and hypertension are significant predictor of graft function in both adults and children.