Kidney Transplant Reduces CVD Risk in Lupus Nephritis

Patients with end-stage renal disease due to lupus nephritis had a lower risk of cardiovascular events after receiving a kidney transplant, according to results from a nationwide cohort study published online ahead of print in Arthritis Care & Research.

“Kidney transplantation was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarctions and cerebrovascular accidents, in patients with lupus nephritis end-stage renal disease,” wrote researchers from Harvard Medical School and Arthritis Research Canada.

The study included 5963 patients with end-stage renal disease due to lupus nephritis in the United States Renal Data System who were waitlisted for a kidney transplant and enrolled in Medicare between January 2000 and December 2016.

During the study period, some 54% of the patients received a kidney transplant. The majority of kidney transplant recipients were female, and 43% were African American.

The adjusted hazard ratio for incident cardiovascular events in patients who underwent kidney transplantation was 0.31, according to the study. Adjusted hazard ratios were 0.13 for myocardial infarction and 0.30 for ischemic cerebrovascular accidents after kidney transplantation.

“Our findings highlight the importance of identifying barriers to transplantation in this population,” researchers wrote, “as improved access could reduce cardiovascular morbidity.”

—Jolynn Tumolo

Reference

Jorge A, Fu X, Cook C, et al. Kidney transplantation and cardiovascular events among patients with end-stage renal disease due to lupus nephritis: a nationwide cohort study. Arthritis Care & Research. 2021 June 13;[Epub ahead of print].