Outcomes in Renal Transplant Recipients With Lupus Nephritis-A Single-Center Experience and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Background: Renal transplantation is the renal replacement therapy of choice in patients with end-stage lupus nephritis (LN). The aim of this study was to evaluate the early and late outcomes of renal transplantation in LN patients in a single transplant center.

Patients and methods: This study analyzed the clinical data of patients who received a renal transplant (RTx) at Gdańsk Transplantation Centre between January 1999 and December 2014.

Results: There were 1296 RTx performed between January 1999 and December 2014, including 21 RTx in 19 LN patients (mean age 40 ± 10 years, 89% female). During the follow-up period (between 1 month and 10.5 years), 1 patient died of urosepsis and 1 of pneumonia. Three RTx recipients with antiphospholipid syndrome lost 5 kidney allografts, including 3 due to acute rejection (AR) during the first posttransplantation month. Kidney allograft survival median was 64 months. Delayed graft function (DGF) and AR were observed in 48% and 33% vs 31% and 21% of LN patients and other RTx patients, respectively (P = .1 and P = .16 for DGF and AR, respectively). The most common early posttransplantation complications were AR (31%) and perirenal hematomas (29%), and late complications were urinary tract infections (75%). Recurrence of LN in renal allograft was observed in 1 patient and was successfully treated by increasing the basic immunosuppression.

Conclusions: Secondary antiphospholipid syndrome has a major influence on the outcomes of RTx in LN patients. Recurrence of LN has no clinical significance.