Proteinuria As a Predictive Factor in the Evolution of Kidney Transplantation

Introduction: Certain factors can change the course of renal transplantation, such as acute rejection, ischemia time, and compatibility. Other donor and recipient factors may modify this evolution. Proteinuria modifies glomerular disease progression and may influence renal graft survival. In this study we analyzed proteinuria in patients who received a transplant since 2000 in Andalusia.

Material And Methods: We studied the Andalusian Renal Transplant Registry from January 2000 to March 2012, recording data on 1815 patients who had proteinuria, registered at the third month and first year after transplantation. Three groups were formed, including those with proteinuria < 300 mg/24 h, those between 300 and 1000 mg/24 h, and those >1000 mg/24 h.

Results: At the third month and the first year after transplantation, 65.7% and 71.6% of patients had proteinuria < 300 mg/24 h, 29.6% and 24.1% had proteinuria between 300 and 1000 mg/24 h, and 4.7% and 4.4% had proteinuria > 1,000 mg/24 h, respectively. We found differences between the three proteinuria groups in panel reactive antibodies (% PRA), serum creatinine at the third month and the first year, the etiology of the donor death, incidence of delayed renal function, and incidence of hypertension. The degree of proteinuria influenced graft and patient survival. In multivariate analysis, proteinuria was an independent risk factor for renal graft loss

Conclusions: The degree of proteinuria at the third month and the first year after transplantation is predictive of graft and patient survival. The patients who had more proteinuria at the third and 12th month after transplantation had worse renal function and more hypertension. Proteinuria is an independent risk factor for renal graft loss.