Clinical Analysis of 19 Renal Transplant Recipients Back from China to Korea

Chang, Yoon Kyung; Lee, Sang Ju; Park, Jin A; Choi, Bum Soon; Yang, Chul Woo; Kim, Yong Soo; Kim, Suk Young; Chang, Yoon Sik; Bang, Byung Kee

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Insufficient supply of donated kidneys for the demand of patients willing to transplant kidney, has been predisposed as main limitation to renal transplantation in Korea. Recently, a lot of Korean patients with end stage renal disease have visited China for cadeveric renal transplantation from executed prisoners. Here, we report a clinical investigation about 19 patients of our hospital, who have received kidney transplant in China. METHODS: We selected 19 patients who had received renal transplantation in China from January, 1st, 2003 to september, 30th, 2004. We interviewed them and reviewed their hospital records and laboratory datas. RESULTS: Their mean age was 47.7+/-11.7 (27-66) years, and male to female patients ratio was 13 vs 6. All of them did not have received renal transplantation before and 15 of them had no living related donor in their own family. All of them had been treated with dialysis therapy, and patients with hemodialysis versus patients peritoneal dialysis were 14 vs 5. Their mean dialysis duration was 26.8+/-23.7 (1-90) months. Among the causes of end stage renal disease of them, hypertension was most common and next was chronic glomerulonephritis, and Diabetes mellitus was 3rd place. All of them received kidneys from cadeveric donors as executed prisoners, and mean duration of their Chinese hospital residence was 15.9+/-7.2 (10-32) days. Post-transplantation follow-up duration of them was 12.3+/-4.1 (4-19) months. During the period above, the number of post-transplantation complication was six, and 2 of 19 patients were expired of intra-cranial hemorrhage and Aspergillos infection, each. CONCLUSION: We offer important problems caused by increasing numbers of renal transplantation in China, and suggest more serious discussions and countermeasures among relevant authorities.