Comparison between the effects of intraoperative human albumin and normal saline on early graft function in renal transplantation
The aim of the current study was to compare the effects of intraoperative infusion of 20 % human albumin versus 0.9 % normal saline on early and late graft function in renal transplantation. This prospective, randomized study was conducted on 44 patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing kidney transplantation. Patients were 32 males (72.7 %) and 12 females (27.3 %) with a mean age of 54.35 ± 11.15 years (range 20–58 years). Patients with cardiac disease and liver dysfunction were excluded from the study. Twenty-two of the 44 patients were given intraoperative intravenous infusion of 20 % human albumin with 0.9 % normal saline (albumin group), and the remaining 22 patients received intraoperative intravenous infusion of 0.9 % normal saline alone (saline group), as part of the intraoperative fluid hydration to keep central venous pressure between 10 and 15 mm of Hg. There was no statistically significant difference in mean intravenous fluid volume infused until the end of surgery between the saline group and the albumin group (P = 0.8326). Time of onset of diuresis and total intraoperative urine output were statistically insignificant between the two groups (P = 0.6255, P = 0.9231, respectively). Post-transplant serum creatinine on day 1, 3 and 5 between the albumin and saline groups were comparable (P = 0.8998, P = 0.7257, P = 0.8092, respectively). Post-transplant urine output on day 1, 3 and 5 between the albumin and saline groups were also comparable (P = 0.653, P = 0.9075, P = 0.946, respectively). Mean postoperative weight gain was higher in the saline group compared with the albumin group, but was not statistically significant (P = 0.6348). This study revealed that the use of 20 % human albumin as an intraoperative volume expander provides no more benefit than the use of 0.9 % normal saline in terms of immediate graft function in living donor renal transplantation.