Influence of the Interval Between Renal Computed Tomographic Angiography and Kidney Transplantation on Allograft Function: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Background: Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) requires contrast agents that may cause nephropathy. We wanted to assess whether donors using contrast agents long or immediately before nephrectomy affects recipient allograft function.

Methods: Pairs of kidney donors and recipients in our center were recruited between May 2012 and October 2014. They were randomly allocated into the preemptive CTA (pCTA) group, in which the donors underwent CTA at least 60 days before nephrectomy, or the delayed CTA (dCTA) group, in which donors underwent CTA within 3 days before nephrectomy.

Results: Both groups included 43 recipients. Recovery time to normal serum creatinine levels and the numbers of recipients who had slow graft function or normal cystatin C at 1 month were significantly different between groups. At 6-month follow-up, both groups showed similar serum creatinine levels, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and rates of acute rejection. No participant had graft failure. The pCTA group had a significantly lower number of recipients with proteinuria (5 versus 13, P = .034) and slighter proteinuria (spot urine protein/Cr, 0.09 ± 0.05 versus 0.14 ± 0.07, P = .047).

Conclusions: Performing renal CTA on donors immediately before nephrectomy may increase the risk of proteinuria in recipients, but it does not appear to affect allograft function recovery or survival rate (Chinese Clinical Trial Registration: ChiCTR-TRC-11002108).