Long-term successful outcomes from kidney transplantation after lung and heart-lung transplantation

Renal dysfunction is common after lung and heart-lung transplantation (Tx), and it limits the recipient's survival and quality of life. This study analyzed the outcomes of simultaneous and late kidney Tx following lung and heart-lung Tx.

From a single-center retrospective chart review of 1031 lung and heart-lung Tx recipients, we identified 13 simultaneous or late kidney Tx cases in 12 patients.

Three patients underwent simultaneous deceased donor lung and kidney Tx. Eight patients underwent lung and heart-lung Tx, followed by nine living donor kidney Tx (including one ABO-incompatible Tx). One additional patient underwent a late deceased donor kidney Tx following heart-lung Tx. The median time from lung and heart-lung Tx to later kidney Tx was 127 (interquartile range [IQR], 23 to 263) months. Three patients died, 1 of sepsis, 1 of multiple organ failure, and 1 of transplant coronary disease. At a median follow-up of 33 (IQR, 10 to 51) months, 9 patients are alive and well. Eight patients required dialysis before kidney Tx for a median time of 14 months (IQR, 5 to 49). Kidney graft loss occurred in 1 patient at 51 months. After kidney Tx, dialysis was necessary in association with acute allograft dysfunction in 2 patients. No acute kidney rejection has been detected in any patient. Treatable acute lung rejection was seen in 1 patient. Well-preserved pulmonary function was noted in recipients of late kidney Tx.

Simultaneous kidney Tx and late deceased donor kidney Tx have challenges in the setting of lung Tx. By contrast, late living related kidney Tx after lung Tx is associated with excellent long-term survival and acceptable kidney and lung allograft function.