Objective: The aim of study was to assess the relationship between the plasma selenium concentration in cadaveric kidney donors and graft function in recipients and between therapy by desmopressin of cadaveric kidney donors and graft function in recipients in the early stage after the transplantation. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Dept. of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Hradec Králové. Material and Methods: 42 donors were examined and the corresponding kidney recipients were ranged. Plasma selenium concentrations (Se, µmol/l) were measured in cadaveric kidney donors at the time of cerebral death diagnosis established by brain angiography. The markers of graft functioning in recipients were observed during 5 days after the transplantation. Results: Grafts with a poor function were from these donors: women (Se - 0.74 v.s. men 0.59), time period between insult and death longer than 48 h (Se - 0.67 v.s. shorter 0.59),no treatment with desmopressini acetas (Se - 0.68 v.s. desmopressini acetas treatment 0.57). Elevated plasma selenium concentrations were the common sign of all these donors. Conclusion:We presume,that the higher concentration of plasmatic selenium of the donorsincrease the risk of graftdamage by reactive forms of oxygen. Conversely treating the donors with antidiuretic hormone seems to be profitable.

        Key words: donor – kidney transplantation – cerebral death diagnosis – antidiuretic hormone