Graft and Patient Survival

Abstract

Kidney transplantation is agreed upon as the best treatment available for most patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). It not only improves quality of life (Am J Kidney Dis 15(3):201--8, 1990; Kidney Int 50(1):235--42, 1996; N Engl J Med 28;312(9):553--9, 1985; Transplantation 54(4):656--60, 1992) of our patients and reduces medical expense (Kidney Int 50(1):235--42, 1996; Semin Nephrol 12(3):284--9, 1992) but also has shown to be a life-prolonging procedure. Multiple studies using renal transplant recipients with dialysis patients have found that patient survival is clearly better with renal transplantation than with dialysis (Kidney Int 21(1):78--83, 1982; Transplantation. 60(12):1389--94, 1995; Nephrol Dial Transplant 12(8):1672--9, 1997; Kidney Int 53(3):767--72, 1998).