Long-term clinical impact of vesicoureteral reflux in kidney transplantation.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: It is unclear whether the presence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) after renal transplantation compromises long-term graft function. The aim of this study in renal allograft recipients with a history of late recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) was to determine whether the presence of VUR conferred an increased risk of long-term graft dysfunction. METHODS: We included 37 renal allograft recipients, who were at least 2 years after transplantation and had a history of at least 1 recurrent UTI per year underwent voiding cystourethrograms (VCUG). The presence and severity of VUR were graded with severity scores ranging from G1 to G5. RESULTS: Of the 37 patients, 15 (41%) showed low grades of reflux (G1-3) on VCUG. Patient and graft survivals were not significantly different in the VUR group (n = 15) compared with the no VUR group (n = 22) at 1, 3, or 5 years. Renal function assessment by means of serum creatinine (Cr) concentration also demonstrated similar results in both groups at 1, 3, and 5 years 5 y mean Cr VUR 1.5 +/- 0.6 mg/dL versus no VUR 1.8 +/- 1.1 mg/dL (P = NS). No difference was also observed in the 2 groups in the number of UTI episodes for each patient per year. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with late UTIs, the presence of low-grade VUR did not affect long-term graft function. There was no indication for a operative repair of low-grade VUR.