Influence of the pretransplant hematocrit level on early graft function in primary cadaveric renal transplantation.

Although use of human recombinant erythropoietin has alleviated symptoms of anemia in renal failure, effects of increased hematocrit (HCT) on early post-transplant renal function are unknown. Of 244 consecutive primary cadaveric kidney recipients transplanted over 74 months, 43% had HCT > or = 30% and 57% had HCT < 30% at transplantation. The incidence of delayed graft function (DGF) was greater in recipients with HCT > or = 30% (61%) than in recipients with HCT < 30% (33%; P = 0.0001). Ten percent of recipients with HCT > or = 30% experienced primary nonfunction (PNF) of the allograft (P = 0.0001). No recipient with HCT < 30% had PNF. Absolute rises in HCT over the 3 months preceding transplantation were greatest in those with PNF (2.5 +/- 2.4) followed by those with DGF (2.0 +/- 3.1) and immediate graft function (IGF) (0.2 +/- 5.2; P = 0.0328). Logistic regression analysis identified HCT > or = 30% (P = 0.0014), cold storage > or = 24 hr (P = 0.0006) and rising HCT (P = 0.0090) as independent predictors of DGF with relative risks of 3.1-, 3.3-, and 2.7-fold, respectively. Recipients with rising pretransplant HCTs who underwent dialytic fluid removal within 24 hr before transplantation had DGF with greater frequency (67%) than nondialyzed recipients with rising HCTs (45%). Primary cadaveric kidney recipients with HCT > or = 30% at transplantation have significantly greater risk for DGF and PNF. Rising pretransplant HCT levels may predispose recipients to DGF; this risk may be heightened in those undergoing hemodialysis shortly before transplantation.