Comparison of histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate solution versus ringer lactate as perfusion fluid in live donor renal transplant - A randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Objective: Ringer s lactate (RL) was one of the perfusion fluid used in renal transplants, which were replaced by perfusion fluid with an intracellular composition like histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution. These are preferred in cadaveric renal transplants. However, there are no guidelines for live-related donor renal transplant. We study whether HTK solution is better than RL solution, an extracellular composition fluid in preserving allograft in live-related donor renal transplantation. Materials and Methods: A single-blinded randomized trial comparing HTK solution and RL solution in 80 patients undergoing live-related donor renal transplantation from July 2017 to June 2018. The outcome was measured in serum cystatin C and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and serum creatinine for 30 days. Results: In 19 cases, surgeons preferred HTK solution as perfusion fluid due to the presence of multiple arteries; hence, these cases are removed from analysis due to deviation from the study protocol. Four patients in the HTK group and five patients in the RL group were excluded due to loss to follow-up. Recipient age, sex, and donor age, sex, and basic disease were comparable in both groups. The higher warm ischemia in the HTK group (5.58 min [standard deviation (SD) 1.44 min]) as compared to the RL group (5.00 min [SD 1.12 min]) with P 0.096. Similarly, the longer cold ischemia in the HTK group (82.00 min [SD 21.31 min]) as compared to the RL group (70.32 min [SD 24.56 min]) with P 0.783. 8.3% rejection in the HTK group and 17.9% rejection in the RL group. Serum cystatin C, marker of glomerular filtration was comparable, HTK group ((3.75 ± 1.98 mg/l) and RL (3.94 ± 1.68 mg/l) with P 0.714. The plasma MDA marker of ischemia-reperfusion injury was also comparable HTK group (80.16 ± 80.08 ng/ml) and RL group (61.50 ± 92.23 ng/ml) with a P 0.446. Fall in serum creatinine was significantly more in the HTK group than RL. At the end of 30 days, both groups had similar levels of serum creatinine level. Conclusion: Graft perfused by HTK solution and RL solution at our center had comparable 30-day outcomes. Although none of the differences was statistically significant, the HTK group had consistently better metrics in terms of fall in creatinine and serum cystatin C despite a trend to longer ischemia times and higher plasma MDA levels.