Prognostic value of normal dobutamine stress echocardiography in renal transplant candidates.

Renal transplant candidates are at high-risk for cardiovascular events. No definite screening tool has been recommended for the pre-operative evaluation. The authors studied the prognostic value of normal dobutamine stress echocardiography in this population. Dobutamine stress echocardiography was performed for the pre-operative assessment in 107 renal transplant candidates (age 53.2 +/- 6.2 years, 66.4% male). The mean follow-up time was 2.8 +/- 1.7 years. The primary endpoint was total mortality. During follow-up, 16 (15.0%) died and 26 (24.3%) patients underwent kidney transplantation. The overall survival probabilities at 1, 3 and 5 years were 87, 83 and 79%, respectively. Among those who underwent renal transplantation, the survival probabilities at 1, 3 and 5 years were 100, 100 and 89%, respectively In renal transplant candidates, normal dobutamine stress echocardiography portends a good long-term prognosis.