Thromboembolic Risk Factors in Patients Undergoing Kidney Transplant: Implication of Abnormally Short Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time

This study was designed to examine the relationship of short activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and prothrombin time (PT) to the incidence of thromboembolic events, hereditary and acquired coagulation defects associated with an increased risk of thrombosis, or cardiovascular diseases in patients undergoing renal transplantation. The prevalence of these conditions in our patients (n = 436) was 55%. Forty-two percent of the patients had short aPTT or PT. Multivariate analysis revealed that patients with short aPTT have an odds ratio (OR) = 2.15, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) (1.27-3.64) (p =0.0042), and for patients with short PT, an OR = 2.01, 95% CI (0.99-4.08) (p = 0.052). Our study also suggests that other risk factors, including non-white ethnicity (98% blacks), OR = 1.64, 95% CI (1.01-2.67) (p = 0.047), diabetes mellitus, OR = 2.62, 95% CI (1.11-6.18) (P = 0.028), and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) (p <0.0001). Short aPTT results, or probably short PT results, pre- or post-transplantation may be associated with increased risks for thromboembolism.