Increase in 24-Hour Protein Excretion Immediately After Donation Is Associated With Decreased Functional Recovery in Living Kidney Donors.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we evaluated the occurrence of proteinuria in living kidney donors during the immediate postdonation period, aiming to determine its clinical significance in renal function recovery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We enrolled living kidney donors with predonation protein excretion rate (PER) < 150 mg/24 h. Participants were divided into 2 groups according to immediate postdonation PER (4 days after nephrectomy): non-microproteinuria (non-mPr; PER < 150 mg/24 h), n = 244; and immediate postdonation microproteinuria (ImPr; PER ≥ 150 mg/24 h), n = 605. RESULTS: Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) did not differ significantly between groups immediately after nephrectomy but was consistently lower in the ImPr group 1 week to 1 year postdonation (1-year postdonation eGFR: ImPr group, 63.6 ± 12.1 mL/min/1.73 m2; non-mPr group, 68.6 ± 12.3 mL/min/1.73 m2; P = .001). Immediate postdonation microproteinuria was an independent predictor of eGFR at 1 year postdonation (ß [standard error] = -2.68 [1.15], 95% confidence interval -4.94 to -0.42, P = .02), along with predonation eGFR, age, and sex. Immediate postdonation microproteinuria was more common in donors who were older or male and occurred in 71.3% of kidney donors, suggesting renal injury in this period. CONCLUSIONS: Although proteinuria generally resolves, its impact persists and can impair renal function recovery. Donors who are older and male are more likely to undergo immediate hyperfiltration after donation.

Utilization of HbA1c in Screening Living Kidney Donors With Prediabetes.

OBJECTIVES: To study the outcome of living kidney donors with prediabetes and to evaluate the utilization of baseline HbA1c to identify donors at high risk for developing diabetes during the postdonation follow-up period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Living kidney donors with prospectively collected preoperative fasting glucose and HbA1c results were included in the study. Donors were categorized to the high-risk group when both results were in the prediabetic range, the low-risk group when only 1 result was in the prediabetic range, and the control group when both results were normal. RESULTS: Ninety-three donors were followed for 75.9 ± 23.3 months. A higher proportion of donors in the high-risk group progressed to diabetes compared with donors in the low-risk and control groups (31.3% vs 6.5% vs 0.0%, respectively; P < .001). Donors with prediabetes were not at a higher risk for new-onset hypertension (4.4% vs 10.0% vs 7.7%, in control, low-risk, and high-risk groups, respectively; P = .519) or microproteinuria (7.3% vs 10.3% vs 0.0%, in control, low-risk, and high-risk groups, respectively; P = .478) and exhibited equivalent postdonation renal function compared with donors with normal glucose metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: HbA1c can identify donors with prediabetes who are at risk for progression to diabetes. Our results indicate that carefully accepted donors with prediabetes are not at increased risk of renal function deterioration in the immediate postdonation period.

Investigation of Systolic Blood Pressure, Diastolic Blood Pressure, and Pulse Pressure in Living Kidney Donors After Donor Nephrectomy.

Kidney transplants from living donors have increased, but few studies have examined the long-term risks of live donor nephrectomy. This is the first study to report the blood pressure (BP) changes associated with cardiovascular disease and linked to chronic kidney disease (CKD) 1 year after live donor nephrectomy. This study examined a prospective cohort of patients who underwent donor nephrectomy between March 1, 2006, and December 31, 2016, at the Severance Hospital, Seoul, South Korea. CKD was defined as a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of < 60 mL/min/1.73m2. Patients with a history of hypertension or CKD or an estimated GFR < 60 mL/min/1.73m2 were excluded; those examined after 1 year post-nephrectomy were included in the study population. Among 420 patients who underwent donor nephrectomy, 137 (32.6%) developed a first-time onset of a GFR < 60 mL/min/1.73m2 by the first year after surgery. After propensity score-matching the age, systolic BP (P < .001) and pulse pressure (P = .006) were significantly associated with the groups with newly developed CKD. Systolic BP and pulse pressure decreased significantly at 1 year after donor nephrectomy. These differences decreased after donor nephrectomy, possibly lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Cumulative sum analysis of learning curve for video-assisted mini-laparotomy partial nephrectomy in renal cell carcinoma.

Video-assisted mini-laparotomy surgery (VAMS), a hybrid of open and laparoscopic surgical techniques, is an important surgical approach in the field of partial nephrectomy. The learning curve for VAMS partial nephrectomy has not been studied to date; we therefore, evaluated this learning curve.We prospectively evaluated 20 consecutive patients who underwent VAMS partial nephrectomy performed by a single surgeon (YEY) between March 2015 and December 2016. The learning curve was evaluated using the cumulative sum method. The measure of surgical performance was composed of 3 parameters (total operation time [Op time], warm ischemic time [WIT], and estimated blood loss [EBL]).Among the 20 patients who underwent VAMS partial nephrectomy, the mean age was 54.6 years. The mean Op time and WIT were 172.5 and 28.8 minutes, respectively. The learning curve for the Op time, WIT, and EBL consisted of 3 unique phases: phase 1 (the first 7 cases), phase 2 (the next 5 to 7 cases), and phase 3 (all subsequent cases). Phase 1 represents the initial learning curve, and the phase 2 plateau represents the period of expert competency. Phase 3 represents when one is competent in VAMS partial nephrectomy.The learning curve for VAMS partial nephrectomy is relatively short and after a learning curve of approximately 7 cases, the surgeon became familiar with VAMS partial nephrectomy; after 12 to 14 cases, the surgeon became competent in this procedure.

Cumulative sum analysis of the learning curve for video-assisted minilaparotomy donor nephrectomy in healthy kidney donors.

Video-assisted minilaparotomy surgery (VAMS) is a hybrid of open and laparoscopic surgical techniques, so has advantages of both approaches. Here, we examined the learning curve for this procedure.We retrospectively evaluated 50 consecutive patients who underwent VAMS donor nephrectomy performed by a single surgeon (YEY) between March 2015 and March 2016. The learning curve was evaluated using the cumulative sum (CUSUM) method. Measures of surgical performance included total operation time, warm ischemic time, and estimated blood loss.The mean patient age, body mass index, and body surface area were 43.5 years, 23.8 kg/m, and 1.7 m, respectively. The mean operation time and warm ischemic time were 160.0 minutes and 124.4 seconds. The learning curve of total operation time was best modeled as a second-order polynomial with equation CUSUMOT (minutes) = -0.3802 × case number + 20.315 × case number - 41.333 (R = 0.7707). The curve included 3 unique phases: phase 1 (the initial 17 cases), which is the initial learning curve; phase 2 (the middle 23 cases), expert competence, and phase 3 (the subsequent cases), mastery. In terms of warm ischemic time and estimated blood loss, the initial learning was achieved after 16 cases and after 9 to 10 cases, one could achieve competency.The VAMS donor nephrectomy learning curve is shorter than for laparoscopic or robotic hand-assisted donor nephrectomy. Surgeons can become familiar with the procedure and perform it without complications after approximately 16 to 17 operations.