[Infectious causes of death in renal transplant patients. A clinical pathological autopsy study]

The infectious consequences of immune deficiency after kidney transplantation are reflected in the spectrum of the causes of deaths in a renal transplant population. From 1976 to 1991, 650 kidney transplantations were performed in Rostock. An autopsy was made in 92 of the altogether 106 deaths; 45 (49%) showed infectious and 47 (51%) non-infectious causes of death. A significant decrease of bacterial causes of death was found in the transplant group from 1985 to 1991 (3/25 = 12%) in comparison to the group from 1976 to 1985 (30/67 = 45%). The important increase of patient survival is attributed to the progress of transplantation management in general as well as to the striking decrease of lethal bacterial infections due to increasing ciclosporin application in renal transplantation.