Propofol-based anaesthesia versus sevoflurane-based anaesthesia for living donor kidney transplantation: results of the VAPOR-1 randomized controlled trial

Background Kidney transplantation is associated with harmful processes affecting the viability of the graft. One of these processes is associated with the phenomenon of ischaemia–reperfusion injury. Anaesthetic conditioning is a widely described strategy to attenuate ischaemia–reperfusion injury. We therefore conducted the Volatile Anaesthetic Protection of Renal Transplants-1 trial, a pilot project evaluating the influence of two anaesthetic regimens, propofol- vs sevoflurane-based anaesthesia, on biochemical and clinical outcomes in living donor kidney transplantation. Methods Sixty couples were randomly assigned to the following three groups: PROP (donor and recipient propofol), SEVO (donor and recipient sevoflurane), and PROSE (donor propofol and recipient sevoflurane). The primary outcome was renal injury reflected by urinary biomarkers. The follow-up period was 2 yr. Results Three couples were excluded, leaving 57 couples for analysis. Concentrations of kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAG), and heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) in the first urine upon reperfusion showed no differences. On day 2, KIM-1 concentrations were higher in SEVO [952.8 (interquartile range 311.8–1893.0) pg mmol−1] compared with PROP [301.2 (202.0–504.7) pg mmol−1]. This was the same for NAG: SEVO, 1.835 (1.162–2.457) IU mmol−1vs PROP, 1.078 (0.819–1.713) IU mmol−1. Concentrations of H-FABP showed no differences. Measured glomerular filtration rate at 3, 6, and 12 months showed no difference. After 2 yr, there was a difference in the acute rejection rate (P=0.039). Post hoc testing revealed a difference between PROP (35%) and PROSE (5%; P=0.020). The difference between PROP and SEVO (11%) was not significant (P=0.110). Conclusions The SEVO group showed higher urinary KIM-1 and NAG concentrations in living donor kidney transplantation on the second day after transplantation. This was not reflected in inferior graft outcome. Clinical trial registration NCT01248871.