Reduction of Cold Ischemia Time and Anastomosis Time Correlates with Lower Delayed Graft Function Rates Following Transplantation of Marginal Kidneys

Abstract

BACKGROUND In kidney transplantation, the association of cold ischemia time (CIT), anastomosis time (AT), and delayed graft function (DGF) is particularly detrimental in grafts from marginal donors; however, actual cut-off criteria are still debated. MATERIAL AND METHODS Data from patients >65 years (n=193) and patients <65 years (n=1054) transplanted between 2000 and 2010 were retrospectively analyzed regarding the age-dependent impact of ischemia times and DGF. RESULTS Overall death censored graft survival was inferior for ECD/DCD organs. Graft survival was significantly impaired by DGF in younger and older recipients. The multivariate analysis revealed an age-dependent profile of risk factors for DGF. In younger patients, multiple risk factors were identified while in patients >65 years, only CIT and AT were correlated with DGF. Marginal grafts with a CIT<769 min had a comparable outcome to any SCD organ; extended CIT >770 min worsened ECD/DCD survival significantly. Similarly, AT longer than 26 min was associated with a significantly impaired survival of ECD/DCD grafts. In a Cox regression analysis with penalized splines, this increased risk of graft loss was not linear: CIT beyond 800 min and AT beyond 20 min were cut-off values associated with worse outcomes in marginal organs. CONCLUSIONS Thus, risk factors for DGF are age-dependent; keeping ischemia times below these thresholds offers outcome of ECD/DCD organs comparable to SCD organs.