Initiation of dialysis for kidney graft failure: A retrospective single-center cohort study

Few studies have focused on the outcome of dialysis for kidney graft failure. We investigated the outcomes of dialysis for graft failure. We retrospectively studied 52 patients undergoing dialysis for graft failure at our facility from January 2004 to December 2018. The mean age at initiation of dialysis was 51.8 ± 13.5 years. The patient survival rates after initiation of dialysis at 1, 3, and 5 years were 96.0%, 93.8%, and 82.4%, respectively. The rate of unplanned initiation was 44.2%. In multivariate logistic analysis, lack of follow-up by nephrologists and pre-emptive kidney transplantation (PEKT) tended to be risk factors for unplanned initiation (P = 0.065 and P = 0.014, respectively). Our study suggests that the prognosis of patients with dialysis for graft failure is acceptable. Dialysis for graft failure, especially in patients with PEKT, tends to be unplanned, and for safe initiation, early involvement of nephrologists may be necessary.