Thirty years of renal transplantation in Helsinki

During triple-drug immunosuppression, consisting of azathioprine, steroids, and cyclosporine, the number of acute rejections was low. Close monitoring of the patient and the graft during the early posttransplant weeks with regular cytological and histological analyses was the cornerstone of early diagnosis and a favorable outcome of acute rejection. Genetic homogeneity of our patient population, third-party transfusion program, and use of well HLA-matched kidney grafts may have been additional factors behind the low rate of acute rejection. Acute rejection within the first three postoperative months did not predispose the renal graft to chronic rejection in the long term. The histologically determined allograft damage index was a reliable predictor of future graft survival. Recipients with systemic diseases such as diabetes and amyloidosis, as well as elderly patients, could be transplanted safely with results only slightly inferior to those achieved with primary kidney disease. Results in diabetic recipients have steadily improved, encouraging the continuation of critical evaluation of the patients' pretransplant status and the preference for cadaveric transplants. Renal transplantation in small children yielded superior patient and graft survival rates. We consider the use of living donors justifiable in these cases. The five million population of Finland offers an ideal size for a transplant center. Continuous education of medical personnel and the general public is crucial for the cadaver transplant program.