Effect on graft and patient survival between shipped and locally transplanted well-matched cadaveric renal allografts in Australia over a 10-year period.
BACKGROUND
The national sharing of well-matched cadaveric renal allografts has been established since 1992 in Australia. It remains uncertain whether the shipment of renal allografts interstate has a detrimental effect on graft and patient survival.


METHODS
Using data collected by the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA), graft and patient survival were compared between shipped (n = 623) and locally transplanted allografts (n = 894) in Australia between January 1992 and December 2001.


RESULTS
Shipped renal allografts were from younger donors and had a longer ischaemic time, and were transplanted into higher risk recipients. Shipping of allografts had no effect on graft or patient survival, acute rejection at 6 months, presence of delayed graft function and serum creatinine at 6 and 12 months. In addition, human leucocyte antigen-matching and allograft ischaemic time had no effect on graft or patient survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Recipients of either shipped or locally transplanted well-matched renal allografts have similar graft and patient survivals.
Lim
Wai H
WH
Renal Unit, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, South Australia, Australia. wai.lim@nwahs.sa.gov.au
McDonald
Stephen P
SP
Russ
Graeme R
GR
D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome