Reducing in-hospital mortality of kidney transplant recipients and graft loss is one of the signs of improvement in kidney transplantation. This study aimed to determine rates of inpatient graft loss and patient survival after re-hospitalizations. Factors associated with in-hospital death and graft loss were also studied.
Methods: A retrospective review of 390 renal transplant recipients first re-hospitalized after kidney transplantation in Baqiyatallah Hospital between the years 2000 and 2005 was performed. Data regarding age, gender, marital status, educational level, duration of hospitalization, any existing diseases like diabetes mellitus, etiology of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), ICU admission, outcomes of patients and grafts were recorded. Mortality rate was 2%, and graft loss, 8%. Out of 8 death cases, 5 (62%) patients had normal renal function at the time of death. Among 33 patients with graft loss, 30 (91%) subjects survived. Mortality was significantly correlated with age above 50 at the time of transplantation or hospitalization, diabetes, ICU admission and illiteracy, while it was not associated with recipient gender or marital status. Graft outcome was correlated with ICU admission, and it was not associated with duration of hospital stay, etiology of ESRD, recipient gender and age at transplantation. A considerable proportion of patients survive during re-hospitalizations despite relatively high rate of graft loss. In order to decrease death rates, more attention is warranted to over 50 year old patients, diabetics and low educated subjects.