HLA matching and cadaver kidney transplantation--status 1984.

The effect of HLA matching on cadaver kidney graft survival was analysed in over 9000 transplants. Matching for HLA-A and -B accounted for an improvement of 8% in the one-year survival rate, matching for HLA-DR for 10%, and matching for HLA-B + DR for 19%. The matching effect of the HLA-B and HLA-DR loci was additive. Patients without pre-transplant transfusions had lower graft survival rates than transfused patients, even if their grafts were HLA matched. The highest success rate was obtained in transfused recipients who received HLA matched kidneys.