“Is a kidney transplant recommended for a 74 year old person with diabetes?”
My mother is 74 years old and has diabetes. She is suffering from CKD and will have a renal failure soon. Is a kidney transplant an option given her age and health?
2 Answers
Yes, we have evaluated, listed, and transplanted patients in the 70s. For transplant evaluation and listing, we go by "functional age" rather than "chronological age". If the patient is otherwise healthy with a good functional status (able to walk a city block), they can be listed and
transplanted. I would suggest sending the evaluation request to the transplant center and letting them decide the candidacy.
transplanted. I would suggest sending the evaluation request to the transplant center and letting them decide the candidacy.
Thank you for your question. Generally speaking age by itself shouldn’t be a contraindication for kidney transplantation. At the same time, all potential medical conditions associated with aging (eg cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, dementia) can play a role in the final pros and cons evaluation. I would suggest having your mother go through the full kidney transplant workup and start broadcasting for a living donor.
