Size does matter: donor renal volume predicts recipient function following live donor renal transplantation

With the now routine use of computerized tomography angiography with 3-dimensional reconstruction in the donor evaluation, renal volume can be easily determined using volume calculating software. We evaluated whether donor renal volume could predict recipient renal function.

Clinical data of all donor and recipient pairs undergoing live donor kidney transplantation at our institution between January 2006 and October 2009 were reviewed. The volume of the kidney selected for transplant was determined using volume calculating software, and correlated to transplant recipient nadir and 1-year serum creatinine. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to adjust for demographic and clinical variables.

During the study period 114 patients underwent live donor renal transplantation. Recipient nadir and 1-year serum creatinine levels were significantly correlated with the volume of donated kidney even after adjusting for age, body mass index, body surface area and donor creatinine clearance. Kidney volume also retained significance after excluding recipients from analysis who experienced acute rejection episodes.

Larger kidney volumes calculated using 3-dimensional computerized tomography with volume calculating software are correlated with lower recipient nadir and 1-year serum creatinine levels.