title: Delayed graft function and long-term outcome in kidney transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are still many controversies about the impact of delayed graft function (DGF) on kidney transplantation outcome. The aims of this study were to define factors associated with DGF and to ascertain the relative impact of DGF on kidney transplantation outcome, both in the early postoperative period and in long-term follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred kidney transplant recipients were reviewed to assess the clinical impact of DGF on long-term outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of DGF was 24.3%. DGF was significantly associated with increasing recipient and donor age, duration of dialysis, and cold ischemia time. Patients with DGF displayed a significantly worse graft (P = .005) and patient (P < .001) survival compared with recipients with immediate function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DGF is a frequent complication of renal transplantation and may be associated with a reduced graft and even patient survival. Strategies to prevent graft injury and, more specifically, DGF may be an important clue to provide a better long-term outcome in kidney transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department G.F. Ingrassia, section of Hygiene and Public Health, University Hospital of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grosso
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Corona
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mistretta
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zerbo
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sinagra
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giaquinta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cimino
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ekser
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giuffrida
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gula
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Veroux
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Veroux
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome