[Retrospective analysis of results and complications following kidney transplantation in diabetic nephropathy--a challenge for the future].

A retrospective analysis was undertaken of the renal transplantation results in diabetic nephropathy over the past 10 years. Out of 428 kidney transplants in 348 patients, 22 transplants were performed in 20 diabetic patients during the observation period. Patient survival for diabetics after 1, 2, and 3 years in contrast to non-diabetic controls was significantly different (70%, 50.9%, 50.9%, respectively versus 93.9%, 89.5%, 83.3% in the non-diabetic control group) (p less than 0.001). Transplant survival was 55%, 42%, 34.4%, versus 74.7%, 67.4%, 57.6% after 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively (p less than 0.08). During the posttransplant period the incidence of cardiovascular and infectious complications, as well as the rate of amputation was much higher than in the pretransplant phase. Main causes of death were cardiovascular or infectious complications. Improvement of the still poor results in diabetic transplant recipients is certainly a challenge for the future.