Prognostic value of absent end-diastolic flow within the first week following renal transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Doppler sonogram of the graft is used as a routine assessment in renal transplantation. When the resistance index (RI) equals 1, absent end-diastolic flow (AEDF) is observed; the prognostic value of AEDF is presently unknown.


METHODS
Between 1988 and 1996, 342 patients received a first cadaveric kidney transplant in our ward. AEDF was observed in 30 patients who were compared with 60 controls who showed an RI < 0.75 within the first 7 days after transplantation. They were matched for year of transplantation (+/-1 year); recipient age (+/-2 years); recipient sex; and HLA antibodies (3 classes: 0%, 1-75%, >75%). The follow-up was 4 years.


RESULTS
AEDF was observed at day 1 in 64%, at day 3 in 96%, and at day 7 in 28%. Recipient age, donor age, recipient sex, cold and warm ischemia durations, HLA A, B, and DR mismatches, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) status were not different between the 2 groups. Immediate graft function and 3- to 24-month creatinine levels were better in the control than the AEDF group. However, there was no difference in serum creatinine at 3 and 4 years or in patient and graft survivals during follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
AEDF observed within the first week following transplantation is associated with impaired renal functional recovery. However, whether AEDF is a prognostic marker of poor long-term graft function or survival remains to be proven.
Ba
S
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Department of Imaging, INSERM U930-CNRS 2448, François Rabelais University, CHU Tours, France.
Halimi
J-M
JM
Al-Najjar
A
A
Barbet
C
C
Buchler
M
M
Brunereau
L
L
Lebranchu
Y
Y
Tranquart
F
F