Angiotensin II type 1 receptor antibodies (AT1R-Ab) are associated with graft rejection and poor graft outcomes in kidney transplantation (KT). We aimed to assess the frequency of preformed AT1R-Ab and their impact on graft function and survival at 1 year after KT. We performed a prospective, observational cohort study in 67 adult KT recipients, transplanted between 2018 and 2019. A cut-off value >10 U/mL was used for AT1R-Ab detection. The frequency of preformed AT1R-Ab was 10.4% and the median value of their level was 8.4 U/mL (IQR: 6.8-10.4). Antibodies against human leucocyte antigen (HLA-DSA) were absent, no case of biopsy-proven rejection was reported and the incidence of graft failure was 7.5%. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was significantly reduced in the AT1R-Ab group [35 (29.8-55.2) vs 56.1 (41.3-66.5) ml/min, p = 0.02] at 1 year after KT. After multivariate linear regression analysis, preformed AT1R-Ab were an independent determinant of eGFR at 1 year after KT (β: -15.395; 95% CI: -30.49 – -0.30; p = 0.04). By Cox multivariate regression analysis, preformed AT1R-Ab were not associated with graft failure (HR: 1.36; 95% CI:0.10-14.09; p = 0.80). Preformed AT1R-Ab are an independent determinant of graft function but do not impact graft survival at 12 months after transplantation in a prospective low immunological risk cohort of KT recipients.
Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.

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