Background
Previous studies have indicated U-shaped associations between blood pressure (BP) and mortality in dialysis patients. We hypothesized that a similar association exists between pre-transplant BP and post-transplant outcomes in dialysis patients who undergo successful kidney transplantation.
Methods
Data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients were linked to the 5-year cohort of a large dialysis organization in the United States. We identified all dialysis patients who received a kidney transplant during this period. Unadjusted and multivariate adjusted predictors of transplant outcomes were examined.
Results
The 13,881 patients included in our study were 47±14 years old and included 42% women. There was no association between pre-transplant systolic BP and post-transplant mortality, although a decreased risk trend was observed in those with low post-dialysis systolic BP. Compared to patients with pre-dialysis diastolic BP 70–<80 mmHg, patients with pre-dialysis diastolic BP<50 mmHg experienced lower risk of post-transplant death (HR:0.74, 95%CI:0.55–0.99). However, compared to patients with post-dialysis diastolic BP 70–<80 mmHg, patients with post-dialysis diastolic BP≥100 mmHg experienced higher risk of death (HR: 3.50, 95%CI: 1.57–7.84). In addition, very low (