Outcome of renal allografts from non-heart-beating donors with delayed graft function

Delayed graft function (DGF) in renal transplantation using non-heart-beating donors (NHBDs) usually exceeds 80%. There is debate whether DGF in this subgroup is associated with poor long-term outcome. Between 1 January 1988 and 31 January 2000, 130 of 158 (82.3%) NHBD graft recipients with functioning grafts transplanted within our regional NHBD programme developed DGF. Overall graft survival and graft survival censored for recipient death was 1131/130 (86.9%) versus 113/121 (93.4%) at year 1, 55/84 (65.5%) versus 55/64 (85.9%) at year 5 and 18/40 (45.0%) versus 18/28 (64.3%) at year 10 after transplantation. Seventeen grafts (13.1%) were lost due to rejection or graft nephropathy. Nine of these kidneys failed during the 1st year. Twenty-seven patients (20.8%) died with functioning grafts, eight within the 1st year after transplantation. In those patients who survived, DGF was associated with excellent long-term outcome in this study. The number of grafts lost due to recipient death exceeded those lost due to rejection or graft nephropathy.