Renal disturbances after heart transplantation

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) developed after heart
transplantation is one of the major factors to influencing
long-term results and survival rate. The very
careful evaluation of kidney function should be performed
prior to transplantation. Moreover, probability
of reversibility of kidney dysfunction and the risk
of progression to end stage renal disease should be
assessed. The ability to identify CKD may allow early
implementation of treatments that could arrest or
delay the progression of renal damage, enable effective
treatment of its complications, and reduce the
risk of drug-induced nephrotoxicity. Kidney function
should be monitored in heart transplant recipients
as an important risk factor of morbidity and mortality
comparable with neoplasm and graft vasculopathy
mortality. In presence of existing nephron sparing
immunosuppressive regimens, early detection of
deteriorating kidney function gives the opportunity
to tailor the treatment or delay the progression of
renal failure. The ability to identify CKD may allow
early implementation of treatments that could arrest
or delay the progression of renal damage, enable effective
treatment of its complications, and reduce
the risk of drug-induced nephrotoxicity by tailoring
the treatment.