Does rural follow-up of renal allografts give impaired graft survival?
In this study, we compared the patient and graft survival after renal transplantation in patients followed up in rural centers against those in a major transplant center. There was a greater proportion of patients having a living related donor transplant and having prolonged cold ischemic times in the group followed up in a rural centre. The patient and graft survival at 1, 3 and 5 years were similar for local and rural patients. We conclude that a centralized transplant unit with follow-up of patients in rural centers optimizes the use of highly skilled personnel.
Pontin
A R
AR
Department of Surgery, University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, South Africa.
Pascoe
M D
MD
Botha
J F
JF
Tandon
V
V
Kahn
D
D
D002102:Cadaver; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000401:mortality / Q000502:physiology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019520:Living Donors; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012424:Rural Population; D013019:South Africa; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014019:Tissue Donors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014505:Urban Population