Doppler ultrasonographic indexes in kidney transplant recipients: its relationship with kidney function.
BACKGROUND
Doppler ultrasonography (DU) is mostly used for assessment of both graft and native kidneys' vascular status. In this study, correlation between the DU indexes and kidney allograft function was evaluated.


METHODS
Hospital records of 273 kidney transplant patients (154 men and 119 women) were reviewed. In all cases, DU had been performed 1 month after kidney transplantation. We evaluated the data on the resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) in the interlobar arteries and renal artery stenosis (RAS), and renal vessels thrombosis were determined. Concurrent serum creatinine and cyclosporine values were assessed in relation to the DU findings.


RESULTS
The RI and PI had significant linear correlations with serum creatinine (P = .03 and P = .002, respectively). Also, there were direct linear correlations between the age of the patients and the RI and PI values. The frequency of RAS was 10.3%. In patients with RAS, the mean creatinine level (2.08 +/- 1.70 mg/dL) was significantly higher than that in patients without RAS (1.48 +/- 0.97 mg/dL; P = .004). Despite this finding, RI and PI were significantly lower in patients with RAS than in the patients with patent renovascular tributary (0.59 +/- 0.15 versus 0.65 +/- 0.11; P = .03 and 1.02 +/- 0.40 versus 1.18 +/- 0.46; P = .049, respectively). There were no associations between serum cyclosporine level or panel reactive antibodies and the RI or PI.


CONCLUSIONS
The RI and PI are valuable DU markers for determining the kidney allograft function and the related vascular complications.
Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. n.nezami@gmail.com
Nariman
N
Nezami
Mohammad Kazem
MK
Tarzamni
Hassan
H
Argani
Mahdiye
M
Nourifar
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012078:Renal Artery Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography
D015415:Biomarkers; D003404:Creatinine