Return to work after renal transplantation: a study of the Brazilian Public Social Security System.

BACKGROUND: Return to work is an objective parameter used worldwide to evaluate the success of organ transplantation and is especially feasible after renal transplantation. This study sought to describe the frequency of return to work after renal transplantation and related characteristics. METHODS: Retrospective cohort of 511 isolated kidney transplant recipients was recruited from a Brazilian referral center from January 2005 to December 2009; all were matched to the public social security database to determine inclusion and benefit awards, as well as the rate of resumption of contributions to the public social security system, a surrogate marker of work rehabilitation. Characteristics associated with work return were analyzed. RESULTS: No social security records were found for 28 subjects. The remaining 483 subjects had a mean age of 45±13 years; 62% were male; 401 (83%) received some public social security benefit; 298 were paying dues and could, therefore, receive temporary or permanent disability benefits. Of these, 78 subjects made social security payments after transplantation, resulting in a work return rate of 26% (95% confidence interval, 21-32). Younger age, living donor graft, and chronic glomerulonephritis were significantly associated with return to work. CONCLUSION: In Brazil, most renal transplant recipients are on social security benefits, but only a small proportion return to work after surgery. Clinical characteristics may help define work resumption trends.

Renal transplants using expanded cadaver donor criteria.

AIMS: to analyze the frequency of transplants using expanded donor criteria (EDC) and the incidence of delayed graft function, acute rejection and the patient and graft survival compared to ideal donors (ID). PATIENTS: retrospective analysis of the 582 cadaver renal transplants performed from Jun 1988 to Mar 2003 in adult recipients. The expanded donor criteria were considered as history of hypertension or evidence of atherosclerosis, diabetes, age less than 5 or more than 55 years old, serum creatinine higher than 2.0 mg/dL, shock and retrieval in cardiac arrest. The statistical analysis used was Student t test, Chi-square test, and Kaplan-Meier method as indicated. RESULTS: 25.4% of our transplants used expanded criteria donor. Comparing, respectively, the EDC and ID we found: the incidence of delayed graft function of 63.9% vs 50.4% (P: 0.007); incidence of acute rejection of 66.1% vs 72.3% (P: 0.203). The patient survival at 1 and 5 years was 87% vs 92% and 81% vs 79%, respectively (P: 0.6809). The graft survival at 1 and 5 year was 74% vs 82% and 57% vs 59% (P: 0.2072), respectively for EDC and ID. CONCLUSIONS: One fourth of our cadaver transplants fulfilled the extended donor criteria. The incidence of delayed graft function was higher in these transplants, but the prevalence of rejection episodes was similar to ideal donors. The patient and graft survival were not statistically different at 1 and 5 year.

Tuberculose em urêmicos / Tuberculosis in patients with chronic renal failure

A tuberculose ocorre com maior freqüência nos pacientes com insuficiência renal crônica em diálise. O diagnóstico é dificil, pois os sintomas säo inespecíficos e podem ser atribuídos à uremia. O teste tuberculínico é negativo na maioria dos pacientes (63,5%), e säo comuns as formas extra-pulmonares da doença *56%). Recomendamos a realizaçäo da reaçäo de Mantoux em todos os pacientes urêmicos; os que foram reatores ao teste, sem evidências de doença ativa, poderiam beneficiar-se da quimioprofilaxia com isoniazida pelo período de um ano. Considerando a eficácia, a facilidade de administraçäo e menores paraefeitos, propomos, como esquema terapêutico para tuberculose em pacientes em diálise, a associaçäo da pirazimida por 2 meses, isoniazida e rifampicina por 6 meses