Clinical outcomes of kidney transplants on patients with end-stage renal disease secondary to lupus nephritis, polycystic kidney disease and diabetic nephropathy

BACKGROUND Patients with lupus nephritis could progress to end-stage renal disease (10-22%); hence, kidney transplants should be considered as the treatment of choice for these patients. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical outcomes after kidney transplants in patients with chronic kidney diseases secondary to lupus nephritis, polycystic kidney disease and diabetes nephropathy at Pablo Tobon Uribe Hospital. METHODS A descriptive and retrospective study performed at one kidney transplant center between 2005 and 2013. RESULTS A total of 136 patients, 27 with lupus nephritis (19.9%), 31 with polycystic kidney disease (22.8%) and 78 with diabetes nephropathy (57.4%), were included in the study. The graft survivals after one, three and five years were 96.3%, 82.5% and 82.5% for lupus nephritis; 90%, 86% and 76.5% for polycystic kidney disease and 91.7%, 80.3% and 67.9% for diabetes nephropathy, respectively, with no significant differences (p= 0.488); the rate of lupus nephritis recurrence was 0.94%/person-year. The etiology of lupus vs diabetes vs polycystic disease was not a risk factor for a decreased time of graft survival (Hazard ratio: 1.43; 95% CI: 0.52-3.93). CONCLUSION Kidney transplant patients with end stage renal disease secondary to lupus nephritis has similar graft and patient survival success rates to patients with other kidney diseases. The complication rate and risk of recurrence for lupus nephritis are low. Kidney transplants should be considered as the treatment of choice for patients with end stage renal disease secondary to lupus nephritis.