KoreaN cohort study for Outcome in patients With Kidney Transplantation (KNOW-KT) study: an overview focused on cardiovascular outcomes from the Korean kidney transplant cohort.

BACKGROUND

The KoreaN cohort study for Outcome in patients With Kidney Transplantation (KNOW-KT) is a prospective multicenter observational cohort study that provides prospective information on the natural course of kidney transplantation and elucidates risk factors for posttransplant complications. We aimed to describe the baseline characteristics and long-term posttransplant outcomes focused on cardiovascular (CV) events of the KNOW-KT cohort.

METHODS

KNOW-KT enrolled 1,115 transplant recipients between 2012 and 2016, followed them for up to 11 years. Epidemiological information and laboratory data were collected from transplant recipients at baseline and during annual follow-up visits. All-cause mortality, CV events, comorbidities, and posttransplant complications were analyzed. Baseline data from donors were also collected.

RESULTS

A total of 1,080 registered kidney transplants (86.9% with living donors) with a mean recipient age of 45.8 ± 11.6 years were included. ABO- and human leukocyte antigen-incompatible transplants were performed in 17.4% and 8.1% of cases, respectively. Pretransplant desensitization totaled 26.7%. The overall 1-, 5-, and 10-year patient survival rates were 99.0%, 97.7%, and 95.5%, respectively, and infections were the most prevalent cause of death. During a median follow-up of 9.8 years, CV events occurred in 6.9% of recipients, and higher pretransplant vascular calcification was associated with an increased risk of CV events. The mean age of donors was 44.2 ± 11.9 years, and 50.2% were male. Among the living donors, the most common donor was the recipient's spouse. The proportion of expanded-criteria donors was 28.7% among deceased donors.

CONCLUSION

The KNOW-KT study helps establish well-organized basic data on kidney transplants and provides qualified information associated with posttransplant outcomes.