Improved outcomes after live donor renal transplantation for septuagenarians

The average age of renal transplant recipients in the United States has increased over the past decade. The implications, however, have not been fully investigated. We explored predictors of success and demographic variables related to outcomes in elderly live donor transplantation. Retrospective analysis was performed using the UNOS database between 2001 and 2016. Donor characteristics and the graft failure rate of recipients above and below 70 years of age were compared across four eras: 2001-2004, 2005-2008, 2009-2012, and 2013-2016. There was a steady increase in average donor age from the first era to the fourth era (40-44) which was more evident among the septuagenarian patients (43-50) (P 70 population (87%-93%) (P 70 recipients were more likely to be non-Hispanic white (80.1% vs 65.1%, P 70 population. Live donation in the elderly is justified based on graft survival and patient survival. However, racial and gender differences exist in septuagenarian recipients and their donors.