BARBA, J. et al. Is there a Safe Cold Ischemia Time Interval for the Renal Graft?. []. , 35, 8, pp.475-480. ISSN 0210-4806.

Objective: It is aimed to characterize the true relationship of the cold ischemia time (CIT) with graft survival and with the principal post-transplantation events. Material and methods: We analyzed 378 kidney transplants, studying the relationship of the CIT with graft survival using a univariate analysis according to the COX model and seeking the optimum cutoff according to the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. The relationship between CIT and the principal events of the post-transplant was studied using the binary logistic regression. Results: The mean follow-up of all the group was 77.8 months (± 51 SD) and the mean CIT was 14.8hours (± 5.1 SD). The univariate analysis revealed that the CIT was not related with the graft survival as a continuous variable (OR = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.9-1.08; p > 0.05). On establishing the cutoff at 18hours, we found differences in the actuarial survival. Survival at 5 years was 91% with CIT < 18h versus 84% with CIT >18h. Each hour of cold ischemia increased risk of delay in the graft function by 10% (OR = 1.1; 95% CI: 1.05-1.15; p < 0.001) and also conditioned a greater incidence of acute rejection (41.5% vs. 55.3%; p = 0.02) and less time to the first rejection episode (72.6 days ± 137 vs. 272.2 days ± 614.8; p = 0.023) after 18hours. The CIT did not seem to be related (p < 0.05) with the rest of the post-transplantation events, such as surgical complications or hospital admissions. Conclusions: In our experience, cold ischemia under 18hours does not seem to negatively affect graft survival.

: Cold ischemia time; Graft survival; Kidney transplant.

        · |     · |     · ( pdf )