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Transplant vs Dialysis Survival — ESENeph MCQ

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EasyTransplantationTransplant vs Dialysis SurvivalESENeph

A 65-year-old man with CKD G5D on haemodialysis has been stable for 5 years. He asks about life expectancy on dialysis compared to transplantation. What should he be told?

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Correct answer: E — Kidney transplantation is associated with significantly better survival compared to remaining on dialysis, even from deceased donors; living donor transplant offers the best outcomes

Multiple large registry studies consistently show that kidney transplantation provides significantly better survival compared to remaining on dialysis – approximately doubling life expectancy for many patients. Living donor transplantation provides the best outcomes (pre-emptive > non-pre-emptive). Even for older patients (up to age 70-75 in selected cases), transplantation offers survival and quality-of-life benefits. NICE NG107 recommends offering transplant assessment to all suitable patients.

Reference: NICE NG107 2018 – RRT; Wolfe et al 1999 – NEJM Transplant Survival