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Obesity does not portend a bad outcome for kidney transplant recipients
Richard J Howard1, Van B Thai, Pamela R Patton
1Department of Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610-0286, USA.
Background:
Kidney transplant programs may avoid transplantation in obese patients because of reports indicating that obese patients have poorer outcomes than do nonobese patients. We recently reviewed our experience.
Methods:
Patients receiving a kidney transplant between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 1999 were divided according to body mass index (BMI): group 1, BMI<25 (n=457); group 2, BMI> or =25 and <30 (n=278); and group 3, BMI> or =35 (n=98).
Results:
Cadaveric graft survival rates at 2 years were 85% for group 1, 88% for group 2, and 85% for group 3 (P>0.10). Cadaveric patient survival rates at 2 years were 92% for group 1, 91% for group 2, and 94% for group 3 (P>0.10). There were no differences in technical losses or in posttransplantation wound complications. Group 3 patients, however, did have a higher incidence of steroid-induced posttransplantation diabetes mellitus than the other two groups (P<0.01).
Conclusion:
Obese transplant recipients have similar outcomes to nonobese patients.