Parameters of Doppler ultrasound at five days posttransplantation as predictors of histology and renal function at one year.
BACKGROUND
In our center, a Doppler ultrasound (DU) is performed at 5 days after transplantation. The normal upper limit of flow velocity (FV) in the renal artery is 200-250 cm/s. The resistance index (RI) is considered elevated when >0.8. Elevation of the RI can be shown in all the forms of graft dysfunction.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to evaluate the capacity of the DU to predict the prognosis of graft function and histological damage at 1 year.


METHODS
We examined a retrospective cohort of patients undergoing renal transplantation between January 2004 and May 2007. The renal function was evaluated with serum creatinine measurements and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimates by the quadratic Modification of Diet in Renal Disease study equation. The biopsy specimen was evaluated according to the Banff 1997 classification.


RESULTS
The overall average age was 35 years, and 58% of the subjects were men. Eight cases (25.8%) showed abnormal DU. The Delta among those with normal DU was -0.94 versus 0.27 +/- 0.39 with abnormal DU (P < .005). There was no significance as far as the biopsy at 1 year.


CONCLUSIONS
Renal DU allows physicians to suspect complications at the first posttransplantation year. It shows a tendency to elevated blood pressure, as well as increased deterioration of renal function over the first year.
Garcia-Covarrubias
L
L
Department of Transplantation and Radiology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubiran, Mexico City, Mexico.
Martinez
A
A
Morales-Buenrostro
L E
LE
Bezaury
P
P
Alberu
J
J
Garcia
A
A
Vilatoba
M
M
Gabilondo
B
B
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*
D003404:Creatinine