title: Risk factors for early hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications after kidney transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clotting disturbances resulting from chronic renal failure do not remit immediately after successful kidney transplantation (KTx). Hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications after KTx increase the risk of transplanted kidney loss. The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of clotting system disturbances and applied antithrombotic prophylaxis on the development of hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications among KTx patients in the early postoperative period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty seven KTx patients underwent measurement of plasma activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT); international normalized ratio; fibrinogen and D-dimer concentration; activity of antitrombin III; protein C and S, VIII, IX; and von Willebrand factors, as well as platelet counts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A perigraft hematoma developed in 25.4% patients, of whom 4.5% required reoperation. Lower antithrombin III activity (96.2±27.6 vs 112.3±17.4, P=.02) on postoperative day (POD) 7 and higher fibrinogen concentration (4.41±2.03 vs 3.35±0.87, P=.01) and platelet count (269.8±117.5 vs 215.8±64.8, P=.03) on POD 14 were noted in recipients with a hematoma compared to those free of this complication. A perigraft hematoma developed in 57.9% patients undergoing antithrombotic prophylaxis and in 12.5% without this treatment (P=.0002). Among patients receiving unfractionated heparin, we observed extension of APTT on POD 1 (45.9±53.2 vs 30.9±7.5 seconds, P=.04), higher von Willebrand factor activity on POD 7 (348.8±122.2 vs 218.5±125.5, P=.02), and higher D-dimer concentrations POD 7 and 14 (1662±894 vs 757±708, P=.002 and 1614±1372 vs 672±532, P=.003, respectively). No significant differences were observed as regards to analyzed parameters between patients receiving low-molecular-weight heparin versus those not receiving antithrombotic prophylaxis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disturbances in analyzed parameters of hemostasis did not increase the risk of hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications in the early period after KTx. Antithrombotic prophylaxis increases the risk of hemorrhagic complications and should be introduced only for selected renal transplant recipients.
authors: Department of General, Vascular and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland. pawlickij@poczta.onet.pl
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Pawlicki
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Cierpka
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Król
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Ziaja
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000378:metabolism; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D006406:Hematoma / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; C036309:fibrin fragment D; D000990:Antithrombin III; D005340:Fibrinogen