Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Undergoing transplantation is extremely stressful, and a recipient is likely leave the hospital burdened with fears of an uncertain future. A paucity of knowledge on the long-term survival of rehospitalized kidney transplant recipients is the likely the reason that physicians fail to provide this group of patients with promising information and reassurance about their future. We sought to describe the long-term patient and graft survival after nonfatal rehospitalization in kidney recipients with a normal graft function after discharge. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the follow-up data (from the time of discharge after first rehospitalization) of 253 kidney transplant recipients who had been discharged from rehospitalization with a normal kidney function (serum creatinine less than 1.6 mg/dL). Patient and graft survival rates 6 months and 1, 2, and 5 years after discharge were determined. RESULTS: The mean duration of follow-up (from the time of discharge after the first rehospitalization) was 38.9 +/- 11.2 months (range, 6 to 84 months). The overall patient survival rates were 98, 97, 95, and 93 at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 5 years, respectively. Graft survival rates at these times were 88, 82, 77, and 63, respectively. After the first posttransplant rehospitalization, 54 patients (21.9) experienced more hospitalization episodes (mean, 2.6+/- 2.0 times), while 193 (78.1) had no further hospitalizations during the follow-up period. Conclusion. Kidney transplant recipients who are rehospitalized should be reassured about favorable chances of survival if discharged with a normal graft function.