The effect of blood transfusions on renal transplantation. Studies of 395 patients registered for transplantation with a first cadaveric kidney.
Three-hundred-and-ninety-five candidates registered for a first cadaveric renal transplant have been analyzed for the effect of pre-graft blood transfusions. Of these, 348 patients were transplanted, 45 died prior to transplantation and two patients have not yet received a transplant. Slightly less than half of the transplanted patients had been transfused, and those received five or more transfusions demonstrated a superior graft survival. This was pronounced in all HLA incompatible transplants who had received five or more transfusions. In patients who received less than five transfusions, only one-two HLA antigen incompatible transplants demonstrated increased graft survival. The frequency of rejection episodes was significantly decreased in all transfused compared to non-transfused groups. Among the patients dying while waiting for a transplant, the majority had been transfused, and a significantly higher proportion of them had cytotoxic HLA antibodies, compared to those who were transplanted.
D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002102:Cadaver; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008875:Middle Aged; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000906:Antibodies; D006680:HLA Antigens