Renal Allograft Outcomes From Spousal and Other Living‐Unrelated Donors

Abstract

AbstractOBJECTIVEThe objective of this study was to compare renal allograft outcomes from spousal donors with those from other living‐unrelated donors (LUD), and to make the best use of spousal donors.METHODSFrom February 1995 to February 2006, 812 renal transplantations were performed at our center, of which 185 were from LUDs. A retrospective analysis was made of all recipients who successfully underwent living‐unrelated renal transplantation.RESULTSA total of 55 out of the 185 recipients received a kidney from their spouses. Compared with other LUDs, spousal donors were older and had poorer human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatching. The time from initiation of dialysis to transplantation was shorter in transplantation from spousal donors. The incidence of acute rejection within the first year after transplantation was more frequent in spousal grafts. However 1‐year and 5‐year survival rates for spousal and other living‐unrelated grafts were not significantly different (96.3% and 93.7% for spousal grafts versus 97.7% and 89.3% for other living‐unrelated grafts, p = .925). The survival rate for 5‐year patients was 96.4% and 97.5%, respectively.DISCUSSIONTransplantation from spousal donors has comparable outcomes to those of other LUDs, and shortens time spent on the waiting list. Therefore, spousal donation should be considered as a useful source to overcome an organ shortage.