Kidney Transplants in Brazil: A Decade of Analysis

Uma década de análise

Abstract

Kidney transplantation is the main therapy for Chronic Kidney Disease in its final stage. In Brazil, despite the growth of procedures in the last decade, the high prevalence of the disease and difficulties in the transplantation system maintain long waiting lists in the SUS. Thus, through this descriptive ecological study with data from the Brazilian Transplant Registry, we sought to analyze temporal variations, regional differences, and donation sources to describe the evolution of kidney transplants in Brazil between 2014 and 2024. We found that approximately 62 thousand transplants were performed in the period, mainly in adults and with deceased donors. However, the analysis revealed that regional inequalities are alarming, and the procedures are concentrated in a few states, such as São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, and Paraná. Furthermore, it is noted that pediatric transplants and those with living donors have low representation. Finally, we conclude that although the evolution in total numbers is positive, regional inequalities and challenges persist that demand policies to enable kidney donation in the country.