Abstract. An increasing gap between supply and demand of donor kidneys for transplantation exists. There is concern regarding the allocation of scarce organs to elderly patients, because the benefit obtained by the transplant may be less in elderly compared with younger recipients. It was the objective of this study to determine differences in patient and organ survival between organ recipients Ͼ65 yr and 50 to 64 yr of age at transplantation. A retrospective cohort of 627 patients Ͼ50 yr who received a kidney transplant between 1993 and 2000 was assembled. Detailed information on patient demographics, comorbidities, and immunological and donor characteristics was ascertained before transplantation. Five-year patient and graft survival were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival curves and multivariate Cox proportional-hazard models. Five-year patient mortality was similar between patients aged Ͼ65 and 60 to 64 at transplantation (relative risk [RR] ϭ 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66 to 1.74). Patients aged 50 to 59 yr showed a clear trend toward lower 5-yr mortality (RR ϭ 0.66; 95% CI, 0.43 to 1.03). Compared with patients Ͼ65 yr, 5-yr graft loss was not different in patients aged 60 to 64 (RR ϭ 1.28; 95% CI, 0.82 to 2.02) or those aged 50 to 59 yr at transplantation (RR ϭ 1.02; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.53). After thorough control for confounding, 5-yr graft survival was not materially different by age group. Discrimination against older candidates for kidney transplantation on age-related grounds alone is not warranted.

Background and objectives The calcimimetic cinacalcet reduced the risk of death or cardiovascular (CV) events in older, but not younger, patients with moderate to severe secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) who were receiving hemodialysis. To determine whether the lower risk in younger patients might be due to lower baseline CV risk and more frequent use of cointerventions that reduce parathyroid hormone (kidney transplantation, parathyroidectomy, and commercial cinacalcet use), this study examined the effects of cinacalcet in older ($65 years, n=1005) and younger (,65 years, n=2878) patients.Design, setting, participants, & measurements Evaluation of Cinacalcet HCl Therapy to Lower Cardiovascular Events (EVOLVE) was a global, multicenter, randomized placebo-controlled trial in 3883 prevalent patients on hemodialysis, whose outcomes included death, major CV events, and development of severe unremitting HPT. The age subgroup analysis was prespecified.Results Older patients had higher baseline prevalence of diabetes mellitus and CV comorbidity. Annualized rates of kidney transplantation and parathyroidectomy were .3-fold higher in younger relative to older patients and were more frequent in patients randomized to placebo. In older patients, the adjusted relative hazard (95% confidence interval) for the primary composite (CV) end point (cinacalcet versus placebo) was 0.70 (0.60 to 0.81); in younger patients, the relative hazard was 0.97 (0.86 to 1.09). Corresponding adjusted relative hazards for mortality were 0.68 (0.51 to 0.81) and 0.99 (0.86 to 1.13). Reduction in the risk of severe unremitting HPT was similar in both groups. ConclusionsIn the EVOLVE trial, cinacalcet decreased the risk of death and of major CV events in older, but not younger, patients with moderate to severe HPT who were receiving hemodialysis. Effect modification by age may be partly explained by differences in underlying CV risk and differential application of cointerventions that reduce parathyroid hormone.

Long-term oral ganciclovir prophylaxis is effective and safe in CMV high-risk renal transplant recipients.

Miglitol (BAYm 1099), an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, reduces the postprandial increase of blood glucose and serum insulin levels in type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus, as shown in short-term studies. In this study, the effects of long-term miglitol treatment on metabolic control, C-peptide secretion, hepatic glucose output, and peripheral insulin sensitivity (euglycemic clamp) were tested in 15 type II diabetic patients (8 receiving insulin, 7 receiving oral hypoglycemic agents). For 8 wk they received either miglitol (300 mg/day) or placebo with a double-blind crossover design that had a 4-wk washout period between treatments. Miglitol therapy induced a reduction of postprandial blood glucose levels (miglitol compared with placebo; areas under the curve; P less than .002), whereas fasting blood glucose levels were not influenced. Miglitol caused a slight reduction of glycosylated hemoglobin levels (mean +/- SE miglitol and placebo 9.50 +/- 0.3 and 10.0 +/- 0.4%, respectively; P less than .05), which was more pronounced in insulin-treated patients. Miglitol caused a reduction of postprandial C-peptide increase (P less than .03). Hepatic glucose output (both in the basal state and during euglycemic clamp conditions) and peripheral insulin sensitivity were not influenced by miglitol therapy. Specific side effects were observed in 11 patients; in 6 patients only to a moderate degree. Long-term miglitol treatment induces a persistent reduction of postprandial blood glucose increase. This effect is more pronounced in type II diabetic patients on insulin therapy, which can cause a moderate improvement of overall metabolic control.