[Effect of recipient age on transplants performed using organs from donors in asystole].

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of receptor's age on the outcomes of kidney transplants with organs from non heart beating donors.

Methods: Observational study of the historic cohort of 570 kidney transplants performed at the Hospital Clínico San Carlos between 1991 and 1999. Receptor's were divided into two age groups, group 1 younger than 50 years, and group 2 older than 50 years. All organs where harvested from non heart beating donors.

Results: We studied 110 kidney transplants coming from non heart beating donors; 52 belonged to group 1, and 57 to group 2. Three-year patient survival for receptor's younger than 50 years was 100%. The probability of three-year survival for receptor's older than 50 years was 79.39% (p 0.07). Graft survival was 88.46%, 86.54%, and 86.54% at 12, 24, and 36 months respectively for receptor's younger than 50 years. When receptors were older than 50 years the probability of functioning graft in the same periods of time was 89.20%, 89.20%, and 86.32% respectively.

Conclusions: Receptor's age doesn't seem to influence graft survival when kidneys from non heart beating donors are used.