Short- and long-term effects of the use of RAAS blockers immediately after renal transplantation

Background: The efficacy and safety of renin angiotensin aldosterone system blockers (RAASB’s) if introduced immediately after renal transplantation have not been extensively investigated.

Methods: The medical charts of 142 kidney transplant recipients who received a RAASB in the early postoperative period and of 114 matched controls were analyzed. The RAASB was given primarily for blood pressure control.

Results: 117 patients continued to receive and 50 controls remained continuously free of the RAASB in the first year. The RAASB was added on average at postoperative day 8 and the mean duration of follow-up was 5.4 years. Systolic, blood pressure at treatment initiation was increased in the RAASB group (150 ± 17 vs. 141 ± 16, p < 0.001). At discharge from hospital and during follow-up blood pressure was similar in both groups, without differences in GFR, potassium and proteinuria. The endpoints “graft failure” and “graft failure or death from any cause” were significantly better in patients treated with RAASB’s (p = 0.03 and p = 0.04, respectively). The treatment effects in the RAASB group persisted even after adjustment for demographic parameters, immunological risk factors, peritransplant risk factors, duration of dialysis prior to transplantation and medical comorbidities.

Conclusions: Thus, RAASB’s can be used effectively and safely to treat hypertension in the early postoperative period after kidney transplantation and are renoprotective in the long term.