Preemptive
kidney transplantation is performed before the initiation of chronic dialysis. Preemptive
transplantation is the best treatment modality for patients reaching
end-stage renal disease. The Tuscany region has experienced, in the last years, a marked increase in donation rate. Starting from 2006, the first Italian cadaveric preemptive transplant program was activated. The aim of our study was to investigate the characteristics and preliminary results of this program. Among 163 patients entered on to the waiting list for
renal transplantation from October 2006 to October 2008, 120 (73.6%) were on dialysis for 21.3 +/- 17.8 months, whereas 43 patients (26.4%) had not yet been on dialysis (preemptive). Eighty two patients (50.3%) resided in Tuscany and 81 (49.7) outside Tuscany; 36.6% of Tuscany patients and 16% of extraregional patients (P = .003) were listed as preemptive. Fifty-eight of 163 (35.6%) patients were transplanted during the period after a mean waiting time of 10.3 +/- 6.4 months. The estimated overall man waiting time was 17.5 months (confidence interval (CI) = 15.8-19.2). Upon Cox multivariate analysis, the probability of
transplantation was similar for preemptive and dialysed patients (relative risk [RR] 1.02, P = NS). According to local allocation policy, only residents of Tuscany showed a significant advantage in both groups (RR = 0.43, CI = 0.24-0.75, P = .003). Two-year graft and patients survivals were similar, but
delayed graft function was lower in the preemptive group (13% vs 42%, P = .007). The 1-year serum
creatinine was 1.56 +/- 0.43 in the preemptive group and 1.68 +/- 0.92 in the dialysis group (P = NS). No differences were observed concerning rejection rate. The preemptive listing rate for cadaveric
renal transplantation was more than 35% for Tuscany patients.