More than a decade after live donor nephrectomy: a prospective cohort study.

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Transplant Surgery
• Public Health

Background:

• Short-term studies suggest live kidney donation is safe.
• Long-term donor outcomes are crucial as morbidity can emerge years post-donation.
• This study investigates the 10-year impact of kidney donation on donor health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess long-term (10-year) outcomes in live kidney donors.
• To evaluate changes in renal function, hypertension incidence, quality of life (QOL), and fatigue.
• To provide essential evidence on the long-term safety of kidney donation.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study of 100 live kidney donors.
• 10-year follow-up including clinical data and Quality of Life assessments (SF-36, MFI-20).
• Analysis of renal function, hypertension, QOL scores, fatigue levels, and survival.

Main Results:

• Significant decrease in kidney function (12.9 ml/min) observed at 10 years.
• Clinically relevant decreases in QOL dimensions (physical function, bodily pain, general health) and increased fatigue.
• New-onset hypertension in 25.6% of donors; overall donor outcomes considered excellent with stable kidney function and comparable hypertension rates to the general population.

Conclusions:

• While kidney function and QOL show declines over 10 years post-donation, donor outcomes remain excellent.
• Long-term monitoring is essential to fully understand the impact of kidney donation.
• Kidney function appears stable, and hypertension incidence is not significantly elevated compared to the general population.