A prospective randomised study of the effect of nicardipine on ischaemic renal injury in renal allografts

Abstract

In a prospective double-blind trial, 127 kidneys were randomised to receive Eurocollins (n = 65) or Eurocollins plus nicardipine (n = 62) as a second flush solution at the time of organ retrieval. Delayed graft function occurred in 18 of 65 control kidneys (28%) and in 20 of 62 nicardipine kidneys (32%; P = 0.7, Fischer's exact test). The mean (SD) serum creatinine at 6 weeks was 197 (138) mumol/l in the Eurocollins group and 195 (159) mumol/l in the nicardipine group (P = 0.95). Eighteen recipients (28%) in the controlled Eurocollins group experienced a rejection episode in the first 6 weeks post-transplant compared to 17 (27%) in the nicardipine group (chi 2 with Yates' correction = 0.027; P = > 0.95). In this study, the addition of nicardipine to the kidney perfusion fluid did not have a beneficial effect on kidney function following transplantation.