Doppler ultrasonographic indexes in kidney transplant recipients: its relationship with kidney function

Doppler ultrasonography (DU) is mostly used for assessment of both graft and native kidneys' vascular status. In this study, correlation between the DU indexes and kidney allograft function was evaluated.

Hospital records of 273 kidney transplant patients (154 men and 119 women) were reviewed. In all cases, DU had been performed 1 month after kidney transplantation. We evaluated the data on the resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) in the interlobar arteries and renal artery stenosis (RAS), and renal vessels thrombosis were determined. Concurrent serum creatinine and cyclosporine values were assessed in relation to the DU findings.

The RI and PI had significant linear correlations with serum creatinine (P = .03 and P = .002, respectively). Also, there were direct linear correlations between the age of the patients and the RI and PI values. The frequency of RAS was 10.3%. In patients with RAS, the mean creatinine level (2.08 +/- 1.70 mg/dL) was significantly higher than that in patients without RAS (1.48 +/- 0.97 mg/dL; P = .004). Despite this finding, RI and PI were significantly lower in patients with RAS than in the patients with patent renovascular tributary (0.59 +/- 0.15 versus 0.65 +/- 0.11; P = .03 and 1.02 +/- 0.40 versus 1.18 +/- 0.46; P = .049, respectively). There were no associations between serum cyclosporine level or panel reactive antibodies and the RI or PI.

The RI and PI are valuable DU markers for determining the kidney allograft function and the related vascular complications.