End-Stage Renal Disease After Kidney Donation: A Single-Center Experience

PurposeAlthough the risk of kidney donation has been determined in many studies to be low with respect to morbidity and mortality, it is important to keep in mind that patients are put at some risk when they donate an organ for transplantation. The reported incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among kidney donors ranges from 0.2% to 0.5% with varying follow-up times. Herein, we have reported four living kidney donors at our institution who progressed to ESRD.Materials and MethodsWe reviewed registry data and medical records of patients who underwent donor nephrectomy at our institution between October 1, 1959, and June 30, 2005, particularly cases who developed ESRD.ResultsBetween October, 1959, and the end of June, 2005, 3591 kidney transplants were performed at our center including 1195 of the organs (33%) from living donors, whose mean age was 41.9 years. Four kidney donors (0.33%) developed ESRD. Their mean age at donation was 31 years; the mean age at ESRD development was 46.5 years. All four patients donated to siblings with renal failure. Two of the four (50%) had another first-degree relative who subsequently developed renal failure. Two of the four (50%) smoked tobacco subsequent to donor surgery, and one (25%) was obese.ConclusionsProgression to ESRD is rare among living renal donors. Kidney donation is safe when strict eligibility criteria are met. There may be an increased risk for progression to ESRD among donors with a family history of renal disease.