More Than 1000 Kidney Transplants Performed in Pamplona, Navarra: Data From the Collaborative Transplant Study.

INTRODUCTION: The Kidney Transplant Program started at the Clinica Universidad de Navarra (Pamplona, Spain) in September of 1969. The 1000th kidney transplant was performed in September 2015. Data from kidney transplants have been included in the Collaborative Transplant Study since 1983. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on patient and graft survival of the 635 kidney transplants (557 first kidney transplants and 78 second kidney transplants) performed in the Clinica Universidad de Navarra between 1990 and 2014, as well as the estimated average life of the grafts are described and compared with data from the more than 150,000 European kidney transplants included in the Collaborative Transplant Study in the same period. RESULTS: Data of our patient and graft survival are statistically significantly better (P < .05) than those of the over 150,000 European transplants analyzed in the Collaborative Transplant Study in the same period. The estimated half-life of the kidney transplants performed in our Center is 18.5 years for first transplants and 15.7 years for second transplants, compared to 13.9 and 11.2 years, respectively, calculated for the European transplants. CONCLUSIONS: Data obtained from the Collaborative Transplant Study confirm excellent graft survival in our Center with an estimated half-life higher than that of the European transplants included in this study.

Short-Term Outcomes of 100 Consecutive Kidney Transplantations in a 3-Year Period: A Single-Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: The results of kidney transplantation have improved significantly in the last decade with patient and graft survival rates that range from 92% to 95%. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical results in the last 100 consecutive patients with a follow-up of 6-42 months at our institution. We also made a general evaluation of the patients before surgery as candidates for transplantation and divided them into 3 groups (good, moderate, and poor). RESULTS: We had 8 living donors and 92 cadaveric kidney transplantation cases. Principal cause of donor death was cerebrovascular disease accounting for 64%. Mean age of recipients was 55.1 ± 12.9 years with a total of 65 males. Currently there are 96 functioning allografts. During this 3-year period, 2 patients suffered graft loss and 2 patients died with a functioning allograft. We studied whether there were statistically significant differences in renal function (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study Equation [MDRD]) at 12 months and at last visit with respect to the evaluation of recipient as candidate for renal transplantation. CONCLUSION: Our observations suggest great improvement of early results of renal transplantation in recent years, including complex cases. In this 3-year period we had a patient survival rate of 98% and a graft survival rate of 96% of cases. Further dedicated prospective studies that aim to evaluate or to propose possible recipient-related predictors for kidney transplantation outcomes in different populations are needed.

Meat quality traits of commercial hybrid pigs in Argentina.

This report describes the meat quality of two INTA hybrids (hybrid females) sired by Duroc (D) or Yorkshire (Y) boars and a third one from PIC (S), a cross of females C22 to 412 boars. Starting at 30kg live weight, 18 barrows and 18 gilts of each genotype were kept in identical conditions until slaughtered at 110kg. Longissimus dorsi muscles were analyzed. Means differed significantly (P<0.05) for drip loss (higher in S); tenderness (more tender in D), water holding capacity (higher in Y); cooking loss (higher in Y); colour parameter L(∗) (lower in D) and b(∗) (higher in S) and intramuscular fat content (higher in D). As a result of sensory analysis, it was found that D was the most tender and juicy. There were few sex effects and no genotype-sex interactions. Distinct differences in meat quality between hybrids do exist, with D superior, S the worst, and Y intermediate.

Prediction of lean meat content in pork carcasses using the Hennessy Grading Probe and the Fat-O-Meater in Argentina.

Rapid evolution of pork production in Argentina requires new calibrations for predicting carcass lean meat percentage with the Fat-O-Meater (FOM) and Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP), first adopted in 1995. The second objective was to unify the lean percentage units with those applied by the European Union. Carcasses of 59 gilts and 56 barrows from different environments and breeds were tested. Carcass weights were from 65 to 117kg, and lean content was from 38% to 62%. Predicting lean content by multiple regression equations, the coefficients of determination R(2) were 0.801 and 0.794 for the FOM and HGP equations, and the residual standard deviations (RSD) were 2.40% and 2.45%, respectively. Both instruments had the same precision and were accurate enough to be adopted in national carcass grading classification. Hot carcass weight was not selected as a significant variable. The same prediction equations could be used for gilts and barrows. Quadratic terms did not improve predictions.

Evolution of the renal function is a better predictor of long-term survival than serum creatinine.

BACKGROUND: In recent years acute rejection has decreased to 10% to 20%. Therefore it is necessary to look for new endpoints in renal transplantation. Serum creatinine and changes in creatinine have been reported to be powerful predictors of long-term kidney transplant survival. Chronic renal allograft nephropathy is the primary cause of long-term graft failure but may appear at any stage in the evolution. METHODS: Data from 315 patients receiving cadaver donor renal transplants between February 1987 and March 2001 that functioned for 1 year were examined for the influence of demographic characteristics and transplant variables. Creatinine clearance was estimated using the Cockroft-Gault formula. Survival was assessed with the actuarial method. The multivariate analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: The 10-year graft survival showed a relative risk of 2.5 in the univariate analysis when there was more than 10% decrease in renal function at 3 months compared with nadir values. When the decrease was more than 25% of creatinine clearance at the third month, during the evolution and serum creatinine at 3 months introduced in the multivariate model, the latter was not significant, while the other variables had a RR of 4.4 and 10, respectively. CONCLUSION: The evolution of renal function at 3 months and throughout the evolution were better predictors of graft failure than an isolated serum creatinine value.

Changes in renal transplantation: comparison between two different series.

BACKGROUND: New immunosuppressives have improved the results of renal transplants. However, the features of donors and recipients have changed, producing an increased age in both cases and more donors dying from strokes. We analyzed the impact of donor and recipient profile on survival of graft in recipients treated with new immunosuppressive agents. METHODS: Data from 343 patients receiving cadaveric renal transplants functioning for 1 year on February of 1987 and March of 2001 when cyclosporine was incorporated in the immunosuppressive regimen. Two series were distinguished from the point of view of immunosuppression: an historical series and a current series. Graft survival rates were analyzed using the actuarial method. Multivariate analysis was achieved with Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Actuarial survival at 5 years was lower in the current series, 77%, as opposed to 82% in the historic series. Donor and recipient age, proteinuria, and losses in immediate postoperative period were significantly higher in the current series. However, acute rejection episode dropped from 54% to 21%. Delayed graft function also decreased from 18% to 10% in the current series. When multivariate analysis was performed of grafts functioning at 1 year, the relative risk was 3.12 in the historical series adjusted for other variables. CONCLUSION: The data suggested that new immunosuppressive regimens counteract suboptimal features for donors and recipients.

Cuidados del dietista en el enfermo con insuficiencia renal crónica en tratamiento de hemodiálisis / Dietetian's care in chronic renal insufficiency patients with hemodialisys treatment

El creciente interés por la situación nutricional de los pacientes hemodializados deriva, en parte, del hecho de que la nutrición condiciona de forma relevante la evolución, la morbilidad y la mortalidad de estos enfermos. La insuficiencia renal crónica es una enfermedad que cada vez afecta a mayor número de personas, debido principalmente a la nefropatía diabética y la nefropatía hipertensiva. El objetivo fundamental de este artículo es poner en evidencia que el dietista puede mejorar la calidad de vida de los enfermos de riñón en tratamiento de hemodiálisis, a través de un buen planteamiento dietético. El reconocimiento de la complejidad del cuidado nutricional de las enfermedades renales ha llevado a muchos países (Gran Bretaña, Francia, Alemania, Estados Unidos, etc.) a establecer la especialización de dietistas en enfermedades de riñón, especialistas en dietoterapia renal designados más comúnmente como "renal dietitians". El cuidado del dietista en el enfermo con insuficiencia renal crónica tiene por objeto no sólo la instauración de un tratamiento dietético personalizado, sino también el llevar a cabo una correcta educación nutricional en la unidades de hemodiálisis (AU)