[Initial experience with protocol biopsies in transplanted kidneys].

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Transplantation Immunology
• Pathology

Context:

• Protocol biopsies are crucial for evaluating kidney allograft health post-transplantation.
• Assessing chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) prevalence and risk factors is vital for long-term graft survival.

Purpose:

• To determine the prevalence of chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) one year after renal transplantation.
• To correlate the degree of CAN with clinical and laboratory data in kidney transplant recipients.

Summary:

• A protocol biopsy at one year post-transplant revealed CAN in 75% of 105 patients with stable graft function.
• CAN correlated significantly with recipient age, prior acute rejection, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, and proteinuria.
• No significant difference in CAN severity was observed between patients treated with cyclosporine-A or tacrolimus.

Impact:

• Findings highlight the high incidence of subclinical CAN one year post-kidney transplant.
• Identifies key clinical factors associated with CAN development, aiding in risk stratification.
• Suggests potential differences in lipid profiles between immunosuppressive drug regimens, warranting further investigation.