Cardiac Inotropes Offer Protection of Renal Function in Patients with Kidney Transplantation

Abstract

Introduction: Impaired cardiac function is one of the most concomitant symptoms in patients with kidney failure after long-term dialysis. In addition, the preservation of adequate perfusion pressure to the graft plays a significant role in the intraoperative management during kidney transplantation, but the use of positive inotropic drugs in kidney transplant patients has been studied less. We investigated the protective effects of renal function by means of cardiac inotropes in kidney transplant patients. Methods: Eighty-nine patients that received kidney transplantation between April 2014 and December 2016 at Qilu Hospital were included and randomly divided into the treatment group receiving levosimendan and a control group. All kidney recipients received ABO-compatible donors. A poor outcome was defined as one of the following: delayed graft function, graft hemorrhage, or nephrectomy. Results: The treatment group had a better composite outcome and the level of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin was also lower than in the control group. Conclusion: Inotropic drugs may play a protective role in renal function in kidney transplantation.