Living kidney donors >60 years of age: is it acceptable for the donor and the recipient?

Abstract

Donors >60 years are now frequently accepted for living kidney transplantation (LKT). We asked whether a donor age >60 years may result in a higher risk for donor and recipient. All adult LKT from May 1996 to June 2005 were included. Long-term outcome was analysed, and results were compared for donors >60 and <or=60 years. Thirty-five grafts were obtained from donors >60 (group A) and 158 from donors <or=60 years (group B). In group A 40% and in group B 37% of grafts came from unrelated donors (P = 0.769). The mean hospital stay of donors was 8 days in group A and 7 days in group B (P = 0.171). The complication rate was 11% in group A and 17% in group B (P = 0.409). Following LKT primary graft function was observed in 97% in group A and 96% in group B. One- and 5-year graft survival was 97% and 90% in group A and 99% and 91% in group B. For the first 2 years, mean serum creatinine was significantly higher in recipients of group A. Thereafter, values were comparable for both groups. As excellent results are achievable using living donors >60 years, we suggest that age should no longer be considered as a contra-indication for living donation.