[Kidney transplantation in Macedonia].

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Transplantation Surgery
• Immunology

Background:

• Renal transplantation is a critical treatment for end-stage renal disease.
• Optimizing graft survival and minimizing complications are key challenges in transplantation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of 92 renal transplantations performed over a decade.
• To compare graft survival rates between living and cadaver donors.
• To analyze the incidence of delayed graft function and acute rejection episodes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 92 renal transplantations (22 cadaver, 70 living donors).
• Standard surgical procedures and quadruple sequential immunosuppressive therapy (induction and maintenance).
• Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and assessment of delayed graft function and acute rejection (BANFF criteria).

Main Results:

• Overall patient survival rates at 12, 36, and 60 months were 90%, 75%, and 60%, respectively.
• Living donor kidney transplants showed superior survival rates (92%, 82%, 68%) compared to cadaver donors (survival rates not explicitly stated but implied lower).
• Delayed graft functioning occurred in 17.3% of cases (46.6% for cadaver, 10% for living donors), with elderly living donors contributing to higher DGF rates.

Conclusions:

• Renal transplantation significantly reduces chronic renal failure in the region.
• Living donor transplants offer better long-term outcomes than cadaver donor transplants.
• Further improvements are anticipated through enhanced cooperation and organ sharing with regional and European centers.