The effect of donor and recipient ages on the results of kidney transplantation

: In a retrospective study of 814 patients (349 women, 465 men) who had received their first kidney transplant, early function rate as well as transplant and patient survival rates were determined in relation to age (up to 50 years: 530; 51-55 years: 140; 56-60 years: 83; over 60 years: 61). The same rates were also grouped by donor age (> 16 years, 68 patients; 16-40 years, 387; 41-50 years, 165; 51-60 years, 144; over 60 years, 50). The 5-year transplant function rate fell significantly with increasing donor age (P = 0.0001) from 78% (16-40 years) to 47% (over 60 years). For the same age groups the proportion of transplants which never resumed their function rose from 8 to 28%. Age of recipient had no influence on early function and 5-year transplant function rates. Thus, regardless of the recipient's age, higher donor age is an independent risk factor for early and late results after transplantation.