Age, Exclusion Criteria, and Generalizability of Randomized Trials Enrolling Kidney Transplant Recipients

Background The proportion of elderly (≥65 years) kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) doubled in the United States (US) from 1999 – 2008. Given higher mortality, more medication side effects, and less rejection among elderly KTRs, optimal care of these patients may require tailored decisions about transplant therapeutics. It is unknown whether participants in transplant clinical trials – which generate the best evidence for patient care – are representative of the aging population of KTRs.