Kidney Retransplantation in the Elderly: Are the Benefits Worth the Risks?

An increasing number of elderly patients are undergoing either primary kidney transplantation (PrKT) or retransplantation (ReKT).

Single-center retrospective cohort study of all deceased donor KTs (DDKTs) performed in elderly patients (age ≥65 years).

From December 2004 through August 2022, we performed 668 DDKTs in elderly patients including 39 ReKTs and 629 PrKTs. Mean donor age was lower in the ReKT group (44 ± 17 ReKT vs. 54 ± 13 years PrKT), as was KDPI (58 ± 24 vs. 74 ± 21% PrKT, both p < 0.05). A total of 44% of ReKT patients had a cPRA level above 50% compared to 10.3% PrKT (p < 0.0001). Rates were comparable between groups for primary nonfunction (2.6% ReKT vs. 3.7% PrKT) and delayed graft function (23% ReKT vs. 32% PrKT, p = 0.29). Five-year patient (55.2% ReKT vs. 74.3% PrKT, p = 0.03) and graft survival rates (GSRs, 55.2% ReKT vs. 64.7% PrKT, p = 0.32) were higher in the PrKT group. Death with functioning graft (DWFG) occurred in 59% of ReKT versus 37.4% of PrKT patients (p = 0.01) and accounted for 79.3% ReKT and 65.3% PrKT graft losses. Death-censored GSRs were not different (62.5% ReKT vs. 68.3% PrKT, p = 0.6).

Elderly recipients of deceased donor ReKTs have a higher risk of DWFG, but death-censored outcomes are comparable to age-matched PrKT recipients.