Single-centre long-term follow-up of live kidney donors demonstrates preserved kidney function but the necessity of a structured lifelong follow-up

Figures & data

Table I. Characteristics of participating live kidney donors.

	n = 395
Female (%)	58
Age at donation (range)	49.1 ± 10.3 (21–73)
Age at follow-up (range)	59.8 ± 11.2 (24–97)
Years since donation (range)	10.7 ± 6.8 (1–33)
Relation to recipient (%)	Sibling (37), parent (28), partner (23), relative (5), friend (3), child (2), anonymous (1)

Figure 1. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at follow-up calculated with cystatin C and years after donation. Groups divided by pre-donation measured glomerular filtration rate (mGFR) ≥80 mL/min/1.73 m² (○) and <80 mL/min/1.73 m² (•), respectively.

Figure 2. Glomerular filtration rate at follow-up estimated by Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula mL/min/1.73 m² (•) and cystatin C mL/min/1.73 m² (○) according to years after donation. R² = 0.006 and 0.025, respectively.

Figure 3. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at follow-up calculated with Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula (mL/min/1.73 m²) for male and female by age categories at donation. Older age at donation is associated with lower eGFR at follow-up for both male and female donors. *p < 0.05.

Figure 4. Level of pre-donation measured glomerular filtration rate (mGFR) mL/min/1.73 m² showed no correlation to urine albumin-creatinine ratio (U-ACR) or mean arterial pressure (MAP) at follow-up.

Table II. Renal function parameters (creatinine, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD), Cockcroft–Gault and cystatin C-estimated GFR), body mass index (BMI), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and albuminuria before donation and at follow-up.

	Before donation	At follow-up	p value
Creatinine (μmol/L)	79 ± 13	93 ± 17	< 0.0001
eGFR MDRD (mL/min/1.73 m^2)	83 ± 16	67 ± 13	< 0.0001
eGFR Cockcroft–Gault (mL/min/1.73 m^2)	105 ± 24	76 ± 21	< 0.0001
eGFR cystatin C (mL/min/1.73 m^2)	Not performed	73 ± 18	n.a.
mGFR (mL/min/1.73 m^2)	100 ± 16	Not performed	n.a.
BMI (kg/m^2)	25 ± 3	26 ± 4	< 0.0001
MAP (mmHg)	94 ± 8	96 ± 11	< 0.0001
Spot u-albumin >30 mg/L (%/range)	0	9.5 (2–324)	n.a.
Spot u-ACR >5 mg/mmol (%/range)	0	10.8 (0.2–35.2)	n.a.