Clinical significance of the 1-hour biopsy in renal transplantation.

Biopsy specimens were obtained from 43 transplanted kidneys at the time of excision from the donor but prior to revascularization, and 1 hr after revascularization. Two independent laboratories evaluated specimens by immunofluorescent techniques for the presence of IgM, IgA, IgG, C'3, and fibrin. Results from the two laboratories examined for reproducibility and immunological specificity, and correlated with clinical course. Results show that immunoglobulin deposition seen in the 1-hr renal biopsy specimens is of little significance, because: (1) immunoglobulin deposition was difficult to quantitate reliably, (2) the presence of immunoglobulins did not correlate with clinical course, and (3) the majority of immunoglobulin deposition detected was not immunologically specific, since it was most often either present prior to vascularization or disappeared with vascularization.