Kidney transplantation in systemic lupus erythematosus nephritis: a one-center experience

Eight patients with end-stage renal disease secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) received 8 cadaveric renal allograft. Patient and graft survival was 100 and 87%, respectively. None of them showed extrarenal manifestations of SLE or recurrence of lupus nephritis after grafting. One graft was lost because of chronic rejection. In another patient, an episode of graft function deterioration due to bad control of arterial hypertension was observed. Three patients were transplanted during their first year on hemodialysis. Two women became pregnant after successful kidney transplantation; one suffered a spontaneous abortion and the other had a successful delivery. In neither of them, was SLE observed during or after pregnancy. Morbidity was low in this series, and infections were the most frequent complication. In summary, our experience with renal transplantation in SLE patients compares, favorably with the general nodiabetic transplanted population.