In the past, older patients(>50 years old) have been generally considered to be at high risk in renal transplantation. But in recent years, with use of CsA and growing experience, results of renal transplantation have improved in this group of
patients.
The clinical outcome in 111 older patients(mean age; 54.8 years) receiving transplants between March 1, 1984 and February 29, 1991 and followed through August 31, 1992 were analyzed. And also 596 younger patients(<50 years old, mean age: 34.1
years)
were analyzed during the same period. Main immunosuppressants of all patients were CsA and prednisolone in this period. The overall 5-year graft and patients survival rate were 93.7%, 93.5% in older patients and 98.6%, 98.4% younger patients. The
survival rate in both group according to donor age and donor source except for identical pairs were not significant statistically. Cause of the graft failure was nearly due to patient's death loss by irreverssible rejection(83.3%/16.7% in older
patients
and 56.8%/43.2% in younger patients respectively). Cause of the patient's death was mainly infection(66.7%) in older patients. Diabetes and C-V disease among associated the pre-existing disease were more than 25% in older patients. It was
concluded
that
transplantation should be the prefered modality of treatment for end-stage renal disease in patients aged 50 years and older in the absence of obvious contraindications.
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